Zelenskyy aims to win over Brazil and India at the G7 summit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sought to win over Brazil and India at the G7 summit in Japan, where he urged leaders to unite behind his proposal to end the Russian war.

In a speech to G7 leaders Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Zelensky said “clear global leadership of democracy” is needed against Moscow’s aggression.

“The more we work together, the less likely it is that anyone else in the world will follow Russia’s crazy path,” Zelensky said on Sunday. “But is that enough? I believe we need clear global leadership of democracy. This is the most important thing that we provide with our cooperation.”

The Ukrainian leader made a surprise decision to attend the Hiroshima summit in person, using the opportunity to confront Modi and Lula, leaders of two developing countries who have worked to maintain close ties with Moscow. China, which refused to condemn the Russian invasion, also tried to position itself as a peacemaker by demanding a ceasefire.

Zelensky’s 10-point plan to end the conflict includes demands that Moscow withdraw its troops and restore Ukraine’s full territorial integrity. China’s peace plan presented in February does not require Russia to withdraw completely before the start of peace talks.

“As long as the Russian invaders remain on our land, no one will sit down at the negotiating table with Russia. The colonizer must get out. And the world has enough power to force Russia step by step to restore peace,” he added.

In Sunday’s meeting, Zelensky told Lula and Modi that the war in Ukraine was a war against the UN Charter and international law, and asked them to support Kiev in defending those principles for all countries, according to people briefed on the conversation.

“By inviting President Zelensky to Japan, we were able to show steadfast solidarity between the G7 and Ukraine,” Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said after hosting the Hiroshima summit.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated at his press conference on Sunday that the peace settlement must take place “on Ukraine’s terms”.

“In other words, we have to show, and we will show, that violent territorial aggression is not rewarded,” Sunak said. “Those who call for peace but really want a ceasefire must realize that it is not a just and lasting peace.”

U.S. and Western officials decried the Chinese plan. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said China “doesn’t have much credibility” because it did not condemn the invasion.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said all proposals were worth examining, but pointed out that the war “will end tomorrow” if Russia adheres to the first point of China’s plan, which emphasizes respect for the sovereignty of nations.

Earlier in the day, Joe Biden held a bilateral meeting with Zelenskyi, reaffirming his commitment to helping Ukraine, shortly after his administration unveiled a new $375 million arms package for the country “to build Ukraine’s long-term capability to defend against and deter Russian aggression.” .

Zelensky shared photos of him with Biden and said they “discussed further cooperation to strengthen the defense capabilities of our state, as well as the implementation of the Ukrainian peace formula.”

The White House added that the two leaders also discussed a plan for the United States to support the training of Ukrainian pilots to fly fourth-generation fighter jets, including F-16s. The meeting came two days after the United States, United Kingdom and Canada unveiled new sanctions against Russia to make it harder for the country to obtain materials needed for its invasion of Ukraine.

The United States has been Ukraine’s biggest supporter since Russia invaded the country in 2014. Following the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022, it significantly increased military aid to Kiev, supplying NATO-grade weapons, including armored vehicles, artillery systems and air defenses. and more.