WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Leaders of the G7 countries, including U.S. President Joe Biden, will hold a videoconference with Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky on Sunday in a gesture of unity, a day before celebrations commemorating Nazi Germany’s surrender to the the Soviet Union, in Moscow, the White House announced.
Discussions will focus on the latest developments in the conflict in Ukraine, efforts to support Kyiv and ways to demonstrate “the continued unity of the G7 in our collective response, including imposing severe war costs for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s “, said a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council on Monday.
Leaders from the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Japan, Canada and Italy will attend the meeting, the spokesperson added.
Jen Psaki, the White House spokeswoman, explained that the timing of this meeting was important because it will take place the day before the commemorations in Russia.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who will attend the G7 meeting, will also deliver a televised address to Germans on the evening of Sunday May 8 as commemorations of the end of World War II and the 1945 victory of Allied forces take on this year a special character because of the war between two countries that were victims of Nazi Germany.
Germany holds the presidency of the G7 this year.
(Report Jeff Mason and Steve Holland, written by Susan Heavey, French version Myriam Rivet and Camille Raynaud, edited by Sophie Louet and Matthieu Protard)
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