Ukraine’s presence at G7 is a powerful message says Sunak

Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to the G7 summit in Hiroshima had “historic significance”, Rishi Sunak said as he hailed a “real breakthrough” on getting Ukraine advanced fighter jets.

The prime minister said that any peace deal between Ukraine and Russia must usher in a “just and lasting peace” rather than a ceasefire that handed land to Vladimir Putin.

The presence of the Ukrainian president at the conference in Japan sends a “powerful message” to the Russian leader, Mr Sunak said.

“We will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes, because their security is our security,” he added.

“We must and we will show that violent territorial aggression does not reap rewards. There could be no more fitting place to discuss the urgent need for peace than Hiroshima.”

The prime minister said he was “deeply moved” by visiting the memorial to mark the city being the first place to experience the devastation of a nuclear bomb.

“What we saw there was haunting. A child’s tricycle, twisted by the blast. School uniforms bloodied and torn,” he said.

“And with those images in our minds, we resolved never to forget what happened here.”

Mr Zelensky addressed the G7 leaders in meetings yesterday after meeting Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, who has maintained neutrality over the Russian invasion.

Pictures of the Ukrainian president shaking Mr Modi’s hand would not be images that Mr Putin wants to see.

It was unclear whether Mr Sunak, who has spoken of the need to speak to Mr Modi about his position, discussed Ukraine with him when they met yesterday.

ROUND TABLE: Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, centre rear, joined G7 world leaders at a working session on the final day of the summit in Hiroshima.