by India Today World Desk, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky made a dramatic appearance in Japan To attend the G-7 summit to join the leaders of major democracies in presenting a unified front against both Russia and China. Dressed in his trademark military-themed clothing, Volodymyr Zelensky made a headline-grabbing entrance aboard a French government plane over the Japanese city of Hiroshima.
“Japan. G7. Important meetings with partners and friends of Ukraine. Security and increased cooperation for our victory. Peace will get closer today,” he said before moving on to a whirlwind round of bilateral meetings with leaders at the summit tweeted moments after arriving.
Volodymyr Zelensky used a French government-labelled military aircraft to reach the summit site.
Ever since Russia invaded Ukraine, some of Emmanuel Macron’s allies have resented and doubted his diplomatic efforts, even though France has been providing significant military and financial aid to Ukraine.
However, on Friday, when Ukrainian President Zelensky arrived in Jeddah to address the Arab League, the presence of a French Airbus decorated with the tricolor flag marked a remarkable achievement for Macron, Reuters reported.
Zelensky brought by the French army
French officials said plans to bring the Ukrainian leader to the G7 summit had been being developed for several weeks, following preliminary discussions with the Japanese hosts regarding the list of attendees. The decision to let President Zelensky use the French military was made on Wednesday, according to a French presidential official.
The Ukrainian delegation was reportedly picked up from the Polish border and later embarked on a four-hour flight to Jeddah. The visit was part of a broader effort by President Zelensky to engage with countries that have maintained a neutral stance in the conflict.
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A second French official said the occasion provided President Zelensky with an opportunity to explain his position to countries with whom he does not normally engage in direct discussions.
Ahead of his bilateral meeting with Macron in Hiroshima, Zelensky expressed his gratitude to France and noted receiving “positive signals” from Arab states, without providing further details.
Zelensky’s personal appearance was meant to garner global attention as nations pressed Moscow for a 15-month invasion of Ukraine.
15 hour flight journey from Saudi to Japan
One of the officials accompanying the Ukrainian delegation on the plane noted his noticeable fatigue and took advantage of the 15-hour flight from Saudi Arabia to Japan, which included crossing Chinese airspace, to catch up on sleep.
However, the official noted that Zelensky had convened his diplomatic and military teams several times to strategize on how to navigate the changing dynamics and attitudes of his potential counterparts regarding the war. The objective, as stated by the French officers, was to influence their positions.
This was not the first instance of France offering its aviation support. According to French officials, a French government Falcon jet transported Zelensky from Brussels to Poland in February after a summit of European heads of state.
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After his meeting with Zelensky, Macron took to Twitter and announced, “A plane with the colors of the French Republic has landed in Hiroshima. Accompanied by the Ukrainian delegation, they came to the G7 to cooperate with us and our allies.” who are working in this direction. Victory for Ukraine and restoration of peace in Europe.”
Fostering international support is a key priority as Ukraine mounts what is seen as a major push to take back territory seized by Russia in the war that began in February last year.
Zelensky’s personal visit to the G7 summit comes just hours after the United States allowed training on the powerful American-made fighter jets, laying the groundwork for their eventual transfer to Ukraine.
(with agency inputs)