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Volodymyr Zelensky will travel in person to Japan for the Group of Seven (G7) summit, according to an official familiar with the planning, a stark display of confidence and Western solidarity as the Ukraine’s wartime leader tries to keep crucial support from allied nations flowing.
The surprise trip – which would be the Ukrainian president’s first to Asia since Moscow’s invasion of his country last February – comes as Kyiv is preparing a highly anticipated counteroffensive against Russia and building pressure on partner governments for more military aid amid intensifying aerial attacks.
And it also illustrates how Moscow’s onslaught against its neighbor has unleashed repercussions far beyond Europe’s borders in Asia, where Western-allied democracies are increasingly rattled by the growing authoritarian assertiveness of both Russia and China.
The war already tops the agenda of the three-day G7 summit, where leaders from the world’s wealthiest democracies are expected to make a strong statement of unity in support of Ukraine and unveil new measures to choke off Russia’s ability to fund and supply its war.
G7 member countries, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, include the largest backers of Ukraine’s defense.
Earlier this week, Zelensky completed a whirlwind European tour, where he made a bid to restock Ukraine’s military arsenal during stops in Italy, Germany, France and the United Kingdom.
Zelensky will also attend the Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia on Friday, two Arab diplomats confirmed to CNN.
His expected travel halfway around the world to Japan would give Zelensky another chance to stress his appeal for further military support to leaders of the world’s wealthiest democracies face-to-face.
