President Biden warmly welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the G7 summit in Japan, putting his arm around the struggling leader ahead of their one-on-one meeting.
Zelensky addressed the leaders of the world’s seven largest economies behind closed doors, where he appealed for more help in Ukraine’s fight against Russia at the annual summit, this yr in Hiroshima, reported CNN.
In a photo shoot before talks began on Saturday morning, Zelensky, dressed in his iconic army green, posed alongside world leaders in suits and ties for a dramatic photo.
As the leaders gathered, Biden put his hand on Zelensky’s shoulder to point out his support as the two shared a moment together.
The White House confirmed that Biden and Zelensky would meet together Sunday afternoon, in accordance with the Latest York Times.
Biden is anticipated to reply questions from reporters at a press conference.
![Joe Biden and Volodymyr Zelensky](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/NYPICHPDPICT000011470347.jpg?w=818)
Zelensky traveled halfway around the world to attend the Group of Seven summit to spotlight Ukraine’s need for continued assistance from its allies 15 months after the Russian invasion.
After returning to Ukraine, Zelensky’s forces are preparing for a major counter-offensive aimed toward regaining the territories occupied by Russian troops.
“Japan. G7. Necessary meetings with partners and friends of Ukraine. Security and enhanced cooperation for our victory. Peace will change into closer today,” Zelensky wrote on Twitter after his arrival.
Since arriving, he has met with many world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and others.
“It’s essential to enhance (Ukraine’s) air defense capabilities, including the training of our pilots,” Zelensky wrote on his official Telegram channel after meeting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
![Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (right), Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (center) and US President Joe Biden pose for a photo](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/NYPICHPDPICT000011471058.jpg?w=1024)
Zelensky scored a significant victory on Saturday when White House officials confirmed that the United States would allow allied nations to send F-16s to Ukraine and that the United States would train Ukrainian pilots to fly fighter jets.
Russia responded by condemning the move as a “huge risk”.
Zelensky’s presence proved problematic for the leaders of some countries with close economic ties to Russia.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from Brazil was supposedly debating or sit down with the Ukrainian leader for fear of angering Russia and China, Brazil’s two fundamental trading partners.
Zelensky also had his first sit-down conversation with Indian President Narendra Modi since Russian forces entered Ukraine in February 2022.
![From left to right: Gianluigi Benedetti, Italian Ambassador to Japan, President of the European Council Charles Michel, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/NYPICHPDPICT000011472868.jpg?w=1024)
Modi recently stepped up his purchase of Russian Energy and continues to be searching for weapons from Moscow. He also refused to directly condemn the Russian invasion.
Zelensky thanked Modi for the humanitarian aid India sent to Ukraine, in accordance with a statement released after their meeting.
The Group of Seven is a group of industrialized nations consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
This yr, the leaders of Australia, Brazil, Comoros, Cook Islands, India, Indonesia, South Korea and Vietnam were also invited. Russia was a member of the former Group of Eight but was expelled in 2014 after the annexation of Crimea.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized the G7 summit for searching for to isolate each China and Russia.
“The duty was posed loudly and openly: to defeat Russia on the battlefield, but to not stop there, but to eliminate it as a geopolitical competitor. The truth is, some other country that claims to occupy some independent place in the world system can even suppress its competitor. Take a look at the decisions which can be currently being discussed and adopted in Hiroshima at the G7 summit, that are designed to double contain Russia and China,” he said.
Nonetheless, the G7 promised to accentuate the pressure.
“Russia’s brutal aggressive war poses a threat to the entire world in violation of the fundamental norms, rules and principles of the international community. We reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine so long as it is required to bring about a comprehensive, just and lasting peace.
China, the world’s second-largest economy, can also be at the center of the summit’s attention amid growing fears it could attempt to take over Taiwan and Beijing’s ever-expanding nuclear program.
The G7 also hopes to steer China to place pressure on Russia to finish the war in Ukraine and “advocate a comprehensive, just and lasting peace.”
With Postal Wires