C T Online Desk: President Volodymyr Zelensky huddled with G7 leaders on a landmark visit to Hiroshima Saturday, securing long-sought access to US fighter jets and mounting a diplomatic offensive.
Zelensky’s surprise summit appearance is his furthest foray from Kyiv since Russia’s invasion began 15 months ago, and offers a chance to confer not only with allies but unaligned powers including India and Brazil.
His bold diplomatic gambit appeared to have paid off.
Zelensky won a “historic” White House decision allowing Kyiv to acquire F-16 fighter jets, the most sophisticated material yet supplied by the West, with the promise of more to come.
Zelensky said the jets would not help the war effort immediately, but the decision was “a great result”.
“I’m very happy,” he said, as he held a string of meetings with G7 leaders, including those from Italy, Britain, France and Germany.
“It really will help our society, our people to save houses, families.”
The trip is an opportunity to press his plan for a peace process contingent on Russian withdrawals, and woo powers like India and Brazil which have not condemned Moscow’s war.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Zelensky for the first time since the war began and offered some measure of support.
“I understand your pain and the pain of Ukrainian citizens very well,” Modi said. “I can assure you that to resolve this India and, me personally, will do whatever we can do,” Modi said.
Zelensky “thanked India for supporting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of our country”, according to Ukrainian officials.
A diplomatic source said Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva also planned to speak to Zelensky, despite previously accusing the West of “encouraging the war”.
After a bloody winter of fighting that saw Russian gains in the eastern city of Bakhmut, Ukraine’s forces have regrouped for a counteroffensive but they remain dependent on the flow of Western weaponry.
Military experts say the aircraft would be a significant upgrade from Ukraine’s ageing Soviet-era fleet, offering greater ability to eventually strike targets in the air or on the ground.
