On May 19-21, the G7 summit was held in the city of Hiroshima, Japan. The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy was invited to participate in this event. A number of other heads of state from various regions were also invited to Hiroshima. In particular, India, South Korea, Indonesia, Brazil, Australia, Vietnam and the Comoros Islands, the country that currently chairs the African Union and the Cook Islands, which chair the Pacific Islands Forum. The topic of Russian aggression became one of the most popular at the summit, while the leaders of other countries were invited to solve a number of global problems. Volodymyr Zelenskyy used the summit to strengthen international support for Ukraine against the backdrop of ongoing Russian aggression.

The President held separate meetings with representatives of the Group of Seven countries and the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, as well as with the President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, the President of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, and the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi. It was the first meeting of the President of Ukraine with the Indian leader after the start of the full-scale invasion.

Among the main topics discussed at the summit were: food and economic security, as well as the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and the war in Ukraine. It is symbolic that the issue of nuclear safety was discussed in a city that suffered a nuclear attack during the Second World War. Now, almost 80 years since that event, humanity is again threatened with nuclear danger due to the irresponsible actions of the Russian Federation around Ukrainian nuclear power plants.

The Group of Seven countries also focused on discussion of supporting the international order based on the rule of law and the inadmissibility of any unilateral attempts to change the status quo through force or the threat of using nuclear weapons, as Russia has done; continued sanctions pressure on the Russian Federation and support for Ukraine; strengthening the G7's work with the countries of the Global South; ensuring energy security in the conditions of Russia's aggression against Ukraine, etc.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy joined the work of the Summit session "Towards a Peaceful, Stable and Prosperous World". The participation in the extended meeting of so many states from different regions indicates an attempt by the countries of the Group of Seven to strengthen ties with non-Western states in the context of an intensifying global confrontation. Russian aggression exacerbated the global confrontation at the civilizational level. Since the beginning of 2023, China has become more actively involved in the struggle for international support, proposed a number of global initiatives, more actively joined the processes in the Middle East, and strengthened its position in Central Asia. The United States of America, in turn, united the countries of the North Atlantic region to support Ukraine. However, in order to effectively confront the Russian aggressor in Ukraine, as well as China - at the global level, the USA and partner countries need the support of states from other regions.

The United States of America also needs a clear vision of ending the Russian-Ukrainian war. Joe Biden's administration has repeatedly expressed its readiness to support Ukraine for as long as it takes. At the same time, in the context of interaction with Ukraine, the White House chose the strategy of "controlled escalation". Joe Biden has been trying to avoid escalation for more than a year, delaying the provision of the necessary weapons and thereby inhibiting the possible advancement of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the battlefield. The American military-political leadership did not lose hope that the Russian Federation would eventually realize its strategic defeat and refuse from the idea of seizing Ukraine. That is, the White House hoped for the rationality of the Kremlin. However, instead of the expected results, Russia only continues and increases the scale of aggression. The Kremlin perceives US concessions and half-steps as weakness. Another destabilizing action by the Kremlin was the decision to place nuclear weapons in Belarus. These actions only actualized the topic of nuclear security at the G7 summit.

Probably, realizing that the Kremlin is not backing down from the goal of capturing Ukraine, Joe Biden dared to give the green light to the training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets. This intention was announced directly at the Group of Seven summit. Already after the summit, the fact that Russia is ready to continue the war and is not ready to give up its goal regarding Ukraine was confirmed by the words of the Deputy Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Mikhail Galuzin, that the "conflict" will be resolved if Ukraine refuses to join the EU and recognizes Russian as the state language.[1] The Russian leadership periodically changes its rhetoric, putting forward new and old demands. The only thing that remains unchanged is the belief in the ability to defeat Ukraine, and currently the Kremlin is betting on a protracted war, hoping that the fatigue of Ukraine's partners will allow the Russian Federation to consolidate territorial gains and act in relation to Ukraine from a position of strength.

After the trip of the special representative of the government of the People's Republic of China Li Hui, the fact of China's support for Russia was confirmed again. China once again called on Ukraine's partners to stop sending weapons to the battlefield and hold peace talks. In fact, China proposed to consolidate the occupation of Ukrainian territory by Russia. Thus, the interests of global players converged in Ukraine. On the one hand, Russia, whose victory is in the interests of China, contrary to the declarations of official Beijing regarding respect for the principles of the UN Charter. On the other hand, there is Ukraine, which is supported by the USA and partner countries.

The results of the Russian-Ukrainian war will not only determine the fate of Ukraine, but also the positions of the United States and the People's Republic of China in relation to each other. If Ukraine does not win this war, it will be another foreign policy defeat for the United States of America. European security will not be restored, and with NATO allies under threat from Russia, the Indo-Pacific confrontation will be much more difficult. The states of the Global South, including those that participated in the G7 summit, will be inclined to cooperate with the winner. And in case of a positive result, the US will have more allies. That is why the issue of Ukraine is so important for the USA. Considerable attention was paid to Ukraine in the final communique following the results of the Hiroshima summit, as well as in a separate statement. However, the US still lacks a clear vision of the victory of Ukraine as the only scenario for the end of the war. Artificial restrictions play against Ukraine, the USA and partner countries. By leaving Europe vulnerable now, the US and the states supporting Ukraine will be forced to pay in the future. It was obvious in the fall of 2021, and it is obvious now. Now the future peace in Europe will depend on the decisions of the leaders of the democratic world, which currently includes the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Ukraine must get everything it needs to defeat Russia and restore security on the continent.
 

Sources:
1. Суперечить заявам Путіна: у Росії висунули нові "умови" закінчення війни, 27.05.2023,
URL: https://tsn.ua/ato/superechit-zayavam-putina-u-rosiyi-visunuli-novi-umovi-zakinchennya-viyni-2337628.html