International

Zelensky to make in-person visit to G-7

In this photo provided by Saudi Press Agency, SPA, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is greeted by Prince Badr Bin Sultan, deputy governor of Mecca, right, upon his arrival at Jeddah airport, Saudi Arabia, Friday, May 19, 2023. Zelenskyy arrived in Saudi Arabia ahead of an Arab summit on Friday, where he was set to address leaders who have remained largely neutral on Russia's invasion of his country, including many who maintain warm ties with Moscow. (Saudi Press Agency via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky plans to make an in-person appearance at the Group of Seven (G-7) summit in Japan this weekend, according to media reports.

The visit comes amid Zelensky’s latest diplomatic push to shore up support ahead of Kyiv’s long-awaited counteroffensive. The Ukrainian president landed in Saudi Arabia on Friday to join a summit of Arab leaders, following a swing through several European capitals.

“Very important things will be decided there,” Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, said of the three-day G-7 summit in Hiroshima, according to CNN.

“Therefore, the physical presence of our president is absolutely important — to defend our interests, to explain, to provide clear proposals and clear arguments on the events that are taking place in our country,” he added.

Zelensky’s expected visit comes as the U.S. plans to unveil a “substantial” sanctions package against Russia at the summit Friday, aimed at targeting Russian sanctions evasion and sectors of the Russian economy “key to its military-industrial complex.”