President Zelensky attends G7 summit in person as he attempts to win support for Ukraine

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky will attend the G7 summit in Japan on Sunday in person, officials said, as Rishi Sunak and allies seek to turn up the pressure on Russia.

It will potentially bring Mr Zelensky into contact with India’s Narendra Modi and Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who have not opposed the invasion like their western allies.

Mr Zelensky has met many western politicians recently, including Mr Sunak at Chequers on Monday.

But it would be an opportunity for him to build stronger links with the Indian prime minister, who has remained neutral, and the Brazilian president, who the US has accused of ‘parroting’ Russia propaganda.

Attending the G7 – the group that Russia was expelled from over its 2014 annexation of Crimea – would also be a new display of solidarity. 

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky will attend the G7 summit in Japan in person, officials said, as Rishi Sunak and allies seek to turn up the pressure on Russia. Above, Mr Zelensky and Mr Sunak in the UK on Monday

A Ukrainian soldier fires a mortar near the city of Bakhmut yesterday

A Ukrainian multiple rocket launcher fires rockets at Russian positions on the frontline near Bakhmut on Wednesday

Mr Zelensky addresses leaders at the Arab League Summit today 

Earlier, Mr Sunak announced Britain is banning Russian diamonds in a new wave of sanctions that will also prohibit imports of Russian-origin copper, aluminium and nickel.

There has been uncertainty whether the EU will go as far as Britain on diamonds, with the trade particularly lucrative for Belgium, but Mr Sunak said he is ‘hopeful and confident’ allies will follow.

Having signed a new defence and security pact with Tokyo, Mr Sunak visited the A-bomb dome ruin with his Japanese counterpart, Fumio Kishida, to reflect on the atomic devastation in the Second World War.

Talks between G7 allies, including US president Joe Biden and France’s Emmanuel Macron, will centre on military and economic support for Ukraine as they seek to show a united front.

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.’

Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Emir of Mecca Prince Badr bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz welcomes Mr Zelensky in Jeddah today where he participated in the Arab League Summit

Mr Zelensky’s appearance at the G7 meeting will potentially bring him into contact with India’s Narendra Modi (pictured) and Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who have not opposed the invasion like their western allies

Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (pictured arriving at Hiroshima airport on Friday ahead of the G7 summit) has been accused of ‘parroting’ Russia propaganda by the US

Elsewhere, Mr Sunak told 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.’

The UK is also preparing new individual sanctions against 86 people and companies to apply further pressure on Vladimir Putin and his supporters.

The diamond export industry was worth more than £3billion to Russia in 2021 but No10 conceded direct imports have been low since the UK sanctioned state-owned miners Alrosa last year.

Mr Sunak told the BBC: ‘I’m hopeful and confident that our partner countries will follow as they have done when we’ve done this previously – that will make the sanctions more effective, ensure that Russia pays a price for its illegal activity.’

The three-day G7 summit – which also includes Germany, Italy and Canada – will feature talks on economic stability and the security of Taiwan in the face of Chinese aggression.

Mr Sunak’s spokesman said: ‘Guarding against economic coercion is something that the Prime Minister is pushing for.’

Mr Sunak told reporters travelling with him in Japan that he has seen ‘positive’ steps from India but that there is a need to keep the dialogue open with Mr Modi and Mr da Silva.

‘One thing we have to keep doing is talking to countries like India and also Brazil, that is going to be in that second part of the summit which is a good thing,’ the Prime Minister said.

India is being represented at the G7 summit because it is the current G20 chair, while Brazil has been invited as a guest.