President Volodymyr Zelensky of
Ukraine is scheduled to appear at the Group of 7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, this weekend, to seek further commitments for more arms and aid from the world’s wealthiest democracies. His participation will follow a visit to
Saudi Arabia, where Mr. Zelensky to join a summit of Arab leaders, his latest stop on a flurry of trips outside of Ukraine to shore up support ahead of a widely anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive. It was not immediately clear whether Mr. Zelensky would go to
Japan in person or if he would attend the
G7 events virtually. Several officials told The
New York Times that the Ukrainian leader would travel to Japan, but did not say when he would arrive. Details of Mr. Zelensky’s travel are typically closely guarded for security reasons. While the head of Ukraine’s national security and defense council initially confirmed on Friday morning that the Ukrainian leader would participate in the meeting in person, the council later said in a statement that Mr. Zelensky would take part online. However Mr. Zelensky appears, the leaders gathered in Hiroshima — who include President Biden and heads of government from Japan,
Canada, Britain,
France,
Germany and
Italy — will be talking over the next three days about all dimensions of Russia’s war in Ukraine. They will likely discuss
sanctions enforcement, whether to provide to Kyiv and the possibility of negotiations over an armistice or peace treaty. Oleksii Danilov, the head of Ukraine’s national defense council, announced Mr. Zelensky’s trip on national television on Friday following news reports that he would attend. “Very important things will be done there; therefore, the physical presence of our president is important in order to defend our interests,” Mr. Danilov said. “To provide clear proposals and clear arguments regarding the events taking place on the territory of our country.” Shortly afterward, the council’s website posted a brief statement saying that Mr. Zelensky would participate in the summit online. Mr. Zelensky’s office did not immediately respond to a question about the conflicting information. In the past week, Mr. Zelensky has visited
Britain and other European nations. He is willing to travel outside Ukraine in part to demonstrate that he has confidence in the stability of his own government. There have been no known efforts by the Russians to interfere with his travels. If Mr. Zelensky arrives in Hiroshima, he will almost certainly meet one on one with Mr. Biden. The leaders of
India,
Brazil and other nations that have been reluctant to support Ukraine are also at the meeting, as observers, and Mr. Zelensky’s presence could make it more difficult for them to maintain that stance, several officials said. News of Mr. Zelensky’s expected trip to Japan was by The Financial Times and other news outlets. The Ukrainian and Japanese news media had previously suggested that he would join the G7 summit virtually. With its impending counteroffensive against
Russian forces, Ukraine hopes to turn the tide of a conflict that in recent months has settled into a grinding, draining battle with little movement. Mr. Zelensky will be making his plea against the backdrop of a city that stands as a stark reminder of . “We have a task to maintain the momentum of international support and communication for Ukraine,” Mr. Zelensky in his nightly address on Thursday. “I am confident that we will accomplish this task.”