G7 Summit: Biden ‘looks forward’ to meeting Ukraine’s Zelensky, says White House

United States President Joe Biden "looks forward" to holding talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Hiroshima, stated the White House on Saturday, confirming the meeting of the two leaders on the sidelines of the G7 summit.

"It's a safe bet that President Biden will meet him," said National Security Adviser Jake Sullivanwithout giving more details on when the talks have been scheduled. "The president looks forward to the opportunity to be able to sit down face-to-face,” he added.

The Ukrainian president was expected to reach Japan on Saturday after stopping in Saudi Arabia for the Arab summit, as per the local media. Apart from Biden, Zelensky will also hold talks with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

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Zelensky's surprise appearance at the meeting of the richest democracies of the world comes right after the announcement made by the White House that it would allow allied countries to provide Ukraine with US-built F-16 fighter aircraft.

Ukraine had made several pleas for advanced planes to replace its war-battered and ageing Soviet-era fleet of fighter jets, however, Biden had previously stated that the United States would not allow transfers.

Concerns were expressed by Washington regarding provoking Moscow and getting directly involved in the ongoing war.

Sullivan said that transfers of F-16 would not upset the key balance that Washington wants in extending support to Ukraine "in a way that avoids World War III".

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He stated that powerful warplanes would be used in the war only for defence.

"The United States is not enabling or supporting attacks on Russian territory," he stated, adding that "the Ukrainians have consistently indicated that they are prepared to follow through on that."

Further speaking about the criticism that the United States waited for too long before allowing allies to send F-16s to Ukraine, Sullivan said that planes are not needed by Ukrainians for an expected offensive aimed at driving Russians back in the coming weeks.

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He added that the F-16s and the training provided to pilots will be part of the Ukrainian air force’s long-term rebuilding.

Sullivan said, "We've reached a moment where it's time to look down the road and to say 'What is Ukraine going to need... to be able to deter and defend against Russian aggression?'"

"F-16s, fourth-generation fighter aircraft are part of that mix. The obvious first step there, is to do the training and then to work with allies, partners and the Ukrainians to determine how to do the actual provision points as we move forward,” he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

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