G7 leaders condemn Russia's 'brutal' war at summit, urge 'lasting peace'

The G7 leaders condemned Russia's "brutal" war against Ukraine at the group's summit in Hiroshima, Japan, on May 20.

"We once again condemn in the strongest terms the war of aggression by Russia against Ukraine, which constitutes a serious violation of international law, including the UN Charter," the group said in its final communiqué.

The leaders said that Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine "represents a threat to the whole world in breach of fundamental norms, rules and principles of the international community," reaffirming their "unwavering support" for Ukraine for as long as necessary to achieve a "just and lasting peace."

Zelensky meets with leaders at G7 summit in Hiroshima

President Volodymyr Zelensky met with world leaders at the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Hiroshima on May 20, including U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and European Council President Charles Michel.

Kyiv IndependentTeah Pelechaty

"We issued the G7 leaders' statement on Ukraine, and with the clear intention and concrete actions set forth in it, we commit to intensifying our diplomatic, financial, humanitarian, and military support for Ukraine, to increasing the costs to Russia and those supporting its war efforts, and to continuing to counter the negative impacts of the war on the rest of the world, particularly the most vulnerable people."

Zelensky arrived in Hiroshima, Japan, for the G7 summit earlier on May 20. The president made a surprise decision to join the summit following a busy week of diplomatic visits, including to London, Berlin, and, most recently, to Jeddah.

The G7 nations, which include the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Canada, are among the leading backers of Ukraine against Russia’s ongoing aggression. The war is high of the summit’s agenda. Partners have agreed to tighten sanctions against Moscow, expand financial aid to Ukraine, and cooperate to provide Kyiv with the much-desired F-16 fighter jets.