UKRANIAN President Zelensky is set to make a surprise G7 appearance this weekend to beg the West for jets to fight back against Russia.
It came as Rishi Sunak told President Putin “we’re not going away” and allies are united in their support for Ukraine.
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The war hero has made a diplomatic blitz of visits last week to European countries ahead of the summit.
He was snapped hugging the PM earlier this week as he made a secret trip to Chequers, after visits in Germany, France and Italy.
It had been rumoured Zelensky may make another surprise visit – which would be his first to Asia since the brutal invasion began.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has invited him to participate online in the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japanese media reported.
Commenting on the possibility of Zelensky’s trip to Japan, hor Zhovkva, deputy head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said: “We will make a final decision depending on the situation on the battlefield.”
He could use the trip to try and woo nations like India into more backing for his war-torn nation.
And he has repeatedly pressed America for the F-16 jets he wants to target Russia in an expected upcoming spring offensive.
Meanwhile, the PM said on Friday the Russian president needs to understand the Western allies are “steadfast” in supporting Volodymyr Zelensky’s resistance against the invasion.
He said: “My message to Putin is straightforward. We’re not going away.”
Mr Sunak told Sky: “Russia needs to know that we and other countries remain steadfast in our resolve to support Ukraine, not just in the here and now with the resources it needs to protect itself, but for the long term as well.”
He added to ITV News: “They can’t just outlast us in this conflict.
“One of the common topics of conversation I’ll be having and have been having with my fellow leaders is about the longer-term security agreements that we put in place in Ukraine, to deter future Russian aggression.”
It came after he announced Britain and other G7 nations would ban Russia diamonds in a fresh wave of sanctions to slap on Putin’s cronies.
We will also stop all imports of Russian-origin copper, aluminium and nickel.
Mr Sunak said he was “hopeful and confident” allies will follow suit – despite concerns from EU nations over diamonds, which have a huge trade in Belgium.
Mr Sunak will visit the A-bomb dome ruin with his Japanese counterpart, Fumio Kishida, today to reflect on the atomic devastation in the Second World War.
And he will also hold talks with French President Macron on Saturday, and India’s PM Modi on Sunday.
