Amidst growing sanction impositions on Russia, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky is speculated to visit Hiroshima on Sunday in his first ever trip to Asia after Russia’s attack on Ukraine. Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine’s National Defence Council had earlier stated that Zelensky’s physical presence is absolutely necessary in order to defend the interests of Ukraine. Zelensky’s in-person visit is making headlines in the G7 as his participation implies greater advocacy of counter-offensive stance against Russia. On its Agenda would be a call of coalition for its western allies to provide greater resources including a ‘jets coalition’ that would help Ukraine offer stiff resistance on its frontiers.
G7 Summit begins
Amidst the rife speculations of Zelensky’s visit, G7 leaders including President Biden and his counterparts from Japan, Canada, Britain, France, Germany and Italy launched a formal set of roundtable talks today beginning with a visit at Hiroshima Peace Memorial. They paid tribute by laying wreaths on the memorial to honor the victims of Nuclear Bomb attack on Hiroshima that ended the course of WW2 in Japan.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida hosted the visitors as part of his agenda to push for nuclear disarmament talks this weekend. He will similarly host other invited leaders of Australia, India, Brazil, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, Comoros (representing the African Union) and the Cook Islands (representing the Pacific Islands Forum) over this weekend.
The G7 leaders are also reported to be visiting Itsukushima shrine on Miyajima island, a famous Japanese tourist spot known for its ‘floating’ tori gate on water. With religious and ceremonial music being played in the background, Kishida is giving the leaders a taste of traditional Japanese hospitality.
Demand to withdraw Russian Troops
The Members of G7 countries had earlier promised to ensure peace and stability calling for a united appeal to combat Russia’s growing military expansion in Ukraine. UK’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has so far imposed an import ban of Russian diamond, copper, nickel and aluminum along with targeting 86 people and companies connected to Vladimir Putin responsible for undermining the efficacy of existing sanctions.
The G7 leaders had also vouched their commitment of providing financial, humanitarian, diplomatic and military support to Ukraine and ensuring that harsh sanctions are imposed on Russia to limit its weaponizing capacity
In an official statement reported at BBC, G7 leaders reaffirmed that they would “starve Russia of G7 technology, industrial equipment and other services that facilitate its war machine”.
In a more recent statement, G7 has demanded Russia to immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw its troops and military equipment from the territory of Ukraine. The leaders have sent out a message of western alliance against Russia’s illegal, unjustifiable and unprovoked attack on Ukraine which has caused a lot of unrest, both economically and militarily in Ukraine and the World.
Emphasis on Nuclear Safety
Given the historical legacy of Hiroshima where G7 Summit is taking place, it is one of the main agenda of western democracies and Japan to call for nuclear disarmament and assure the victim families of Hiroshima attack that the world today is committed towards navigating peace and stability, especially in the light of Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The G7 delegation also expressed their deepest concern over Russia’s irresponsible annexation and militarization of the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant. This comes out as a joint effort on part of G7 to hold Russia accountable for its reckless motives against Ukraine endangering world peace.
It has been agreed that the West will continue supporting the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in its mission to strengthen nuclear safety as well as security in Ukraine.
While no clear statement has been made about Volodymyr Zelensky’s official Visit to Hiroshima, it is speculated that he will arrive on Sunday to hold in-person dialogue with G7 leaders. Meanwhile, Zelensky has arrived in Saudi Arabia to participate in the Arab League Summit to enhance bilateral relations with the Arab world. It is expected that he will travel to Hiroshima to seek arms and aid and choke off funding for Russia’s war machine. What lies ahead is a possible series of sanctions on Russia to slow down this situation as the world grapples with their internecine conflict.
