While the lines are being drawn up on the first day of the G7 in Puglia, the first conclusions are starting to be drawn. Although the agenda of this first day included several dossiers – such as “Africa, climate change and development” but also “Middle East”, it is the war in Ukraine that has swallowed up efforts and attention.
The real protagonist, in fact, was once again the stainless Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Fasano in the usual military green outfit. A warm greeting from Georgia Meloni before starting the occasional G7+Ukraine format. From the G7 summit in Borgo Egnazia came a “clear support for Ukraine, international law and just peace“. The Ukrainian president wrote this on Telegram after the conclusion of the summit session dedicated to the reconstruction of Ukraine. “Every day we strengthen our positions and add strength to our defense of life,” Zelensky added, “every meeting serves Ukraine to gain new opportunities for victory. Thanks to all our partners!“.
In the words of the Ukrainian president, the meeting with Giorgia Meloni would have been highly profitable. “I had a productive meeting with Giorgia Meloni and thanked Italy for its military, financial and humanitarian support to Ukraine“. Meloni and Zelensky discussed the next steps of bilateral defense cooperation, including Italy’s contribution to strengthening Ukraine’s air defense system and the preparation of a new military aid package. The Ukrainian president explained that the next one was also talked about peace summit in Switzerland and its expected results. In this regard Zelensky said “deeply grateful to Giorgia for her active efforts to encourage countries from the Global South to participate in the summit“. The two leaders discussed joint projects aimed at helping Ukraine in the reconstruction of Odessa and the next Conference on the Reconstruction of Ukraine in Rome in 2025.
Zelensky also collects the support from Tokyo. Ukraine and Japan have, in fact, signed a security agreement on the sidelines of the summit. The Ukrainian president announced this on X. “In 2024, Japan will provide Ukraine with $4.5 billion and will continue to support us for the entire ten-year period of the agreement“, reads Zelensky’s message. A unique document with one of the most economically and technologically advanced countries in the world: the agreement includes security and defense assistance, humanitarian aid, technical and financial cooperation, as well as joint efforts on the peace formula. Furthermore, the agreement implies sanctions against the aggressor and efforts to hold the aggressor accountable. For Japan, Zelensly points out, “This type of agreement and this level of support represents a game changer. We see this and thank Japan for its unwavering solidarity with our country and our people, as well as its dedication to the protection of life and international law“.
Participation in the presence of President Zelensky at the G7 summit made it possible to discuss the most relevant issues for Ukraine, from global security to the use of Russian sovereign assets for the reconstruction of the country, to strengthen international economic cooperation.
Negotiations in the multilateral format, as well as in the bilateral format, were, according to the Ukrainian Embassy in Italy, “ua very important stage also in the context of the Global Summit for Peace which will be held in Switzerland on 15-16 June“.
