Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived at the Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima, Japan, intending to speak directly to other world leaders from countries such as Brazil and India, which have taken a more neutral stance over Russia’s invasion.
(Bloomberg) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived at the Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima, Japan, intending to speak directly to other world leaders from countries such as Brazil and India, which have taken a more neutral stance over Russia’s invasion.
Zelenskiy was particularly keen to sit down with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil, according to G-7 and Ukrainian officials. The Ukrainian leader met on Saturday with Modi, whose country has stepped up purchases of Russian energy and continues to seek weapons from Moscow.
Ukraine’s leader formally requested a meeting with Lula but the South American nation appeared more cautious. Brazil has no problem sitting down with any leader but it shouldn’t be imposed, one official said, describing Zelenskiy’s impromptu attendance as a potential “trap” for non-G-7 attendees.
In a meeting Saturday with Emmanuel Macron, the French president urged Lula to sit down with Zelenskiy, according to people familiar with the conversation.
Zelenskiy is expected to join two Sunday sessions at the G-7, and also meet with US President Joe Biden. The US has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine and a key supplier of military and financial support. Biden has now dropped his reluctance to Ukraine getting F-16s after months of pressure from Kyiv and allied governments, announcing Friday that the US would support efforts to train Ukrainian pilots to use the fighter jet.
In Ukraine, the Air Force said its defense systems shot down 21 drones on Saturday in another Russian attack. Eighteen of the drones were shot down over the Kyiv region, with multiple explosions heard in the capital, the Air Force said. It was the 11th air attack on Kyiv since the beginning of the month.
Twenty of the downed crafts were Shahed drones, which Iran has been supplying to Russia.
Latest coverage
- Ukraine’s Zelenskiy Treks to G-7 to See the Other Invited Guests
- Zelenskiy’s Surprise G-7 Stop Unnerves Critical Brazilian Leader
- Biden Opens Way to Give Ukraine F-16s Under Allied Pressure (2)
- Russia Is Adapting Arms and Tactics Ahead of Ukraine Offensive
- G-7 Restricts More Goods But Avoids Near-Total Russia Export Ban
Coming Up
- Zelenskiy may visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum on Sunday
(Updates with details of Modi and Lula meetings.)
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
©2023 Bloomberg L.P.