Volodymyr Zelensky is set to fly to Japan to meet Western leaders amid rumours the US is willing to lift its ban on European allies to export jets to Ukraine.
The Ukrainian president was only due to address the G7 summit virtually – as he did last year – but it emerged on Friday he would attend in person.
It comes amid signs of a breakthrough for Ukraine, which has been pressing allies to provide it with jets to help it defeat Russia.
President Biden had originally been unwilling to allow European countries to export F-16 jets, the type which Kyiv desires.
But US media reported this morning that the US has signalled to allies in recent weeks that it would allow them to do so.
A small number of European countries have a supply of US-made F-16s, including the Netherlands, which has signalled a willingness to export some of them to Ukraine.
But the US would have to approve such third-party transfer because of the jets’ sensitive technology.
Mr Zelensky in expected to join the G7 summit just after it agreed to place even more sanctions on Russia in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine.
Attendance in Hiroshima on Sunday would bring Mr Zelensky into potential conflict with India’s Narendra Modi and Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who have not opposed the invasion to the extent that western allies would like.
In February, when he visited the UK, the Ukrainian president presented the Houses of Parliament with a “wings for freedom” helmet.
The gift was part of Mr Zelensky’s long campaign to persuade Western allies to provide his country with jets. (Telegraph)
