KYIV, June 17: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine secured important commitments from Group of Seven (G7) leaders during their summit in France, including additional military, economic and energy support as the war with Russia enters its fifth year.
According to Zelenskyy, the most significant outcome of the summit was an agreement to further strengthen Ukraine’s air-defence capabilities.
The G7 leaders also pledged continued assistance to bolster Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and resilience, while promising to increase economic pressure on Russia through new sanctions.
The joint statement issued by the leaders of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan praised Ukraine’s resilience and recent progress on the battlefield. They said Kyiv’s resistance had gained new momentum despite facing a larger Russian military force.
Western officials and analysts have noted improvements in Ukraine’s military performance, particularly through the effective use of advanced drones.
Ukrainian drone operations have disrupted Russian supply lines, targeted oil facilities and increased pressure on Moscow by bringing the impact of the war closer to Russian territory.
However, Ukraine continues to face challenges, particularly shortages of American-made Patriot air-defence missiles. Supplies have been strained in part by demands arising from conflicts elsewhere, leaving Ukraine vulnerable to Russian ballistic missile attacks.
While the G7 leaders promised additional air-defence support, they did not specify what systems would be provided. They also said they would consider allowing Ukraine to manufacture Western weapons under licence, including the Patriot missile system that Kyiv has sought to produce domestically.
Zelenskyy is expected to continue diplomatic efforts at a European Union summit in Brussels after Ukraine formally launched EU membership negotiations earlier this week. The accession process is expected to take years.
Meanwhile, fighting continued. Ukrainian officials said a Russian drone strike hit a children’s equestrian sports school in the Sumy region, destroying a stable and killing horses.
Russia, in turn, claimed its air-defence systems intercepted 157 Ukrainian drones overnight. (AP)
