Ukrainian President Zelensky To Attend G7 Summit

Reuters reporting that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will virtually attend the G7 leaders' summit taking place in Hiroshima, Japan from May 19-21 after an invitation from Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during a visit to Ukraine today.

• Kishida's visit, the first to an active war zone by a Japanese leader since the Second World War, was a symbolic show of support for Kyiv during Chinese President Xi Jinping's trip to Moscow and a demonstration of Kishida's willingness to take a more active role in international affairs.
• According to a statement from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kishida, "directly convey[ed] our solidarity and unwavering support for Ukraine" adding that Tokyo, "resolutely reject Russia's aggression against Ukraine."
• Kishida said yesterday, noting the significance of Hiroshima as the host city for the G7 summit: "Due to Russia's actions, the world now faces a real threat from nuclear weapons. It is important to convey the reality of the atomic bombings to the world, including the G7 leaders, as the starting point for all efforts toward nuclear disarmament."
• This year, Japan holds the rotating presidency of the G7 and an observer seat on the United Nations Security Council.