Hiroshima, Japan, 20 May 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived at the G7 summit on Saturday afternoon in a French government plane, footage from Japan's NHK broadcaster at Hiroshima Airport showed.

"Japan. G7. Important meetings with partners and friends of Ukraine. Security and enhanced cooperation for our victory. Peace will become closer today," Zelensky tweeted.

Originally it was said that the Ukrainian president would only be connected via video at the three-day summit of the group of leading wealthy democracies. His in-person visit was announced only on Friday.

The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine is one of the main topics of the deliberations in Hiroshima, as well as expanding sanctions on Moscow, and how to deal with China's economic power.

During Zelensky's visit, a bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden is planned.

Biden informed the G7 leaders in Hiroshima on Friday that the US would support the joint allied training of Ukrainian pilots on fourth-generation fighter jets, including the F-16.

The United States has a key role to play - not only because of its own large stockpiles, but also because the US must approve every export of F-16s from its allies' stocks. The F-16s are equipped with a powerful radar system and sensitive technology, which the US wants to protect.

Zelensky hailed Biden's F-16 decision as "historic."

"This will significantly strengthen our army in the skies," he tweeted on Friday.

Zelensky has engaged in a flurry of diplomatic visits in recent days as part of his efforts to secure Western fighter jets, with visits to Rome, Berlin, Paris and London.

Before heading to Japan, the Ukrainian president also travelled to Saudi Arabia for the Arab League meeting on Friday. From Jeddah, he flew on to Hiroshima.

Travelling while his country is at war, Zelensky's trips are high risk and an enormous security effort. A journey halfway around the world, to make an appearance at the G7 in Japan, is a significant gesture.

Since the beginning of the war, Ukraine's Western allies have imposed unprecedented sanctions against Russia in order to put the country under economic pressure and cut Moscow off from sources of income to finance the war.

These include far-reaching trade restrictions. At the G7 summit in Hiroshima, various new punitive measures were announced, including export controls on goods that could be used for military purposes and a ban on Russian diamonds.

The G7 group includes the US, Japan, Germany, Britain, France, Italy and Canada.

Photo: EPA