Marita Moloney
Live reporter

It's approaching midnight in Hiroshima, and now seems like a good time to pause our live coverage of the G7 summit for today.

It was a frenetic day of diplomacy for leaders of the rich allied nations, especially after the arrival of Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky.

He held talks with four leaders from the Group of Seven - the UK, France, Germany and Italy - as well as the Indian PM Narendra Modi, as he sought to bolster support for Ukraine.

His visit came after the US announced it would let allies supply F-16 jets to Kyiv, a move which prompted Russia to warn of "colossal risks" if the West carried through with supplying the fighter planes.

China was also voicing its discontent today, this time after the release of a joint statement made by G7 countries where leaders outlined a shared approach towards the country and criticised Beijing on various issues.

Away from the summit, where Ukraine has been front and centre, the battle for Bakhmut continues, with Kyiv denying claims from Russia's Wagner group that it had taken full control of the eastern city.

Zelensky is expected to take part in meetings with the G7 tomorrow before the summit concludes. My colleagues in London, Singapore and Hiroshima will be bringing you the latest developments, so until then, thanks for joining us.

We'll be pausing our live coverage shortly, but there's still lots available to read on the BBC News site to get your head around the latest developments in Japan and Ukraine.

Looking for a round-up of what happened today? Tessa Wong is in Hiroshima and has this piece detailing Zelensky's scene-stealing arrival at the G7 summit as world leaders issued a veiled warning to China.

The devil is in the detail: This piece has all you need to know about the announcement from the US about allowing Western allies to supply Ukraine with advanced fighter jets.

Jets to Ukraine: But as the BBC's weapons analyst Chris Partridge explains here, there's some crucial questions to answer over supplying F-16s to Kyiv.

Chris Mason
in Hiroshima

The arrival of Volodymyr Zelensky has grabbed the limelight at this summit. It’s been the subject of plenty of speculation and discussion in the last 24 to 48 hours, and now here he is touring one delegation after another.

You can be pretty sure he’s going to dominate the agenda for the remaining 24 hours of this gathering.

And from his perspective, that’s hugely valuable.

Not because it’s surprising that in the G7 there’s plenty of support for Ukraine’s cause – we’ve known that for some time – but that they are willing to sign up to something that amounts to doing more than has been offered so far, and is guaranteed to be long term.

It can’t be short term, because of time it takes to train pilots and acquire the jets.

So Zelensky has that longer term, as he sees it, improvement in support from members of the G7 and elsewhere, and can try to persuade other leaders – whether they are from India, Brazil or elsewhere – who up to now have not been as supportive as they might have hoped, from a Ukrainian perspective.

He now has some valuable face time, as opposed to a conversation by phone or video link, to try and make his case.

It's been a big day for international diplomacy as world leaders attended meetings and held talks on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Hiroshima.

Here's some pictures of that diplomacy in action ahead of tomorrow's final day of the summit:

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Reuters

Image source, PA Media

In the last few minutes, the United States, Australia, India and Japan released a statement pledging to uphold peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and "oppose unilateral actions seeking change in status quo by force".

The group, known as the Quad, also expressed a "serious concern at the militarisation of disputed features, efforts to disrupt other countries' offshore resource exploitation activities".

Earlier, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his country would host a summit of the Quad next year.

Image source, EPA

We're hearing more information from Ukraine now on the situation in Bakhmut, after the head of Russia's Wagner group claimed its forces have taken full control of the eastern city.

As we've been reporting, the head of the Russian mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, claimed they had taken "the whole city, from house to house", after months of intense fighting in the city.

Ukraine admitted the situation in the city was "critical", but maintained it still has some ground control there.

"Heavy fighting in Bakhmut. The situation is critical," deputy defence minister Ganna Malyar posted on Telegram.

She said Ukrainian troops were "holding the defence" in the city's "airplane area".

"As of now, our defenders control certain industrial and infrastructure facilities in the area," she said.

China has said it firmly opposes the joint statement made by G7 countries in Hiroshima, and has complained to Japan as the summit organiser.

Its foreign ministry said that the G7, disregarding China’s concerns, had attacked it and interfered in its internal affairs, including Taiwan, Reuters reports.

Beijing has “expressed its strong dissatisfaction and has lodged stern representation”, the statement added.

As we explained here, G7 leaders earlier outlined a shared approach towards China, looking to "de-risk, not decouple" economic engagement with the country.

Image source, EPA

Returning to the G7 summit in Japan now, where we're hearing from a Downing Street spokesperson that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak reiterated the UK's support for Ukraine during a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier today.

Sunak "welcomed President Zelensky’s visit to the G7 as an historic moment and a demonstration of the international community’s steadfast support for Ukraine against Russian aggression", the spokesperson added.

Earlier this week, Sunak welcomed Zelensky to Chequers outside London and he greeted his Ukrainian counterpart with a hug in Hiroshima today.

"The prime minister updated President Zelensky on the very positive progress at the G7 so far, including new sanctions against Russia and the provision of fighter jets," No 10 said, adding that the two leaders look forward to further talks with other leaders this weekend.

On the ground in Ukraine, the head of the Russia's Wagner group has claimed its forces have taken full control of Bakhmut in the east.

Yevgeny Prigozhin said earlier the city had been completely taken “from house to house”.

But a spokesperson for Ukraine's East Command says that fighting is continuing in the city.

We'll bring you more information as we get it.

Image source, Getty Images

Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Japan for the G7 summit has been deemed a "game changer" by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Zelensky has been busy meeting world leaders in Hiroshima today ahead of his expected participation in meetings with the G7 tomorrow.

"I think this is a unique opportunity to (have) exchanges with a lot of countries from the south and express your situation, express a message and share a view. I do believe it can be a game changer," Macron said after the pair met earlier.

He added that France would be with Ukraine "to the very end".

Tessa Wong
in Hiroshima

Image source, Reuters

In the same communique, the G7 leaders also reiterate vague commitments to phasing out fossil fuels, and meeting their common goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050 at the latest in order to keep a global warming limit of 1.5C within reach.

But has once again attracted criticism from climate campaigners.

Greenpeace said in a statement that "the gap between G7 ambition and what climate science demands is stark and widening".

The organisation added: "When G7 leaders refuse to shift gear, they doom current and future generations to sink deeper in a climate crisis. Time is running out."

Tessa Wong
in Hiroshima

I've been looking through the G7 leaders' joint communique that was issued today, and can bring you more detail now on the statement.

The issues of climate change and energy security dominate the latter half the communique, and it's mostly a laundry list of all their past commitments which they continue to stand by.

But one section does acknowledge how these issues intersect with geopolitical risks.

"In order to address the current energy crisis caused by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and achieve our common goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 at the latest, we highlight the real and urgent need and opportunity to accelerate clean energy transitions also as a means of increasing energy security at the same time," the statement says.

Since the war began, European nations have severely cut down their purchases of Russian oil and gas in a bid to deprive Moscow of revenue.

While this has helped to speed up the pivot to cleaner energy sources, it hasn't really hindered Russia which, in China and India, has found new and enthusiastic buyers for its fuel.

It’s now the evening in Japan, so we’ll pivot back quickly to reaction to the news that the US will allow its allies to give fighter jets to Ukraine.

Kyiv’s defence minister, Oleksii Rezniko, says Ukrainian pilots “are looking forward to starting their training” on the fighter jets.

“They will now be able to support their brothers and sisters-in-arms on land and on sea to win this war,” he tweeted, expressing thanks to the defence ministers of the US, UK, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark.

“Looks like Santa Claus does exist,” he said, linking to a video , externalhe published in December asking Father Christmas for help in winning the war against Russia.

Image source, EPA

In the last few minutes, we've just heard from Volodymyr Zelensky about his meetings with world leaders at the G7 summit, including the UK, Italian and Indian prime ministers.

During his talks with Rishi Sunak, Zelensky says, external he thanked him for the "UK's leadership in the international fighter coalition" while discussing the "development of bilateral relations between our countries".

On his meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, he says, external: "We discussed Italy's defence and political support for Ukraine and the first results of my recent visit to Italy and the fact that we need to improve our air defence capabilities, including flight training for our pilots."

In a third tweet, Zelensky says he "spoke about Ukraine's needs in humanitarian demining and mobile hospitals" with India's PM Narendra Modi.

"I briefed the interlocutor in detail on the Ukrainian Peace Formula initiative and invited India to join its implementation," he says, external, adding that he thanked India "for supporting our country's territorial integrity and sovereignty...and for providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine".

Image source, EPA

Volodymyr Zelensky has also met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G7 summit, the first meeting between the pair since Russia’s invasion, which Delhi has refused to condemn.

The Indian PM tweeted two pictures, external, one of the leaders shaking hands and another of them appearing to engage in intense dialogue across a table, with aides at their sides.

In February, India abstained from voting in a UN General Assembly resolution that condemned Russian aggression, and has insisted that peaceful dialogue is the only solution to the conflict.

Russia and India have a decades-old relationship going back to the Cold War, with Moscow being India’s largest arms supplier - the Kremlin has also vetoed UN Security Council resolutions over the disputed region of Kashmir.

Marita Moloney
Live reporter

It's approaching lunchtime here in London and about 20:30 in Hiroshima, where leaders of the G7 rich allied nations are meeting for this year's summit.

Today's events have been somewhat overshadowed by the surprise arrival of a special guest, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky.

He hit the ground running, meeting world leaders including UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who greeted him as an old friend with a slap on the back and a "good to see you!".

Zelensky's arrival came after the "historic" announcement from the US that it would allow allies to give fighter jets to Ukraine, including F-16s.

This, in turn, was met by a warning from Russia that the supply to these fighter jets would carry "colossal risks".

The G7 members are grappling with the challenges posed by Russia's invasion of Ukraine during this summit in Japan, as well as tensions with China. The leaders have issued a communique setting out a common strategy towards future dealings with the world's second-largest economy.

Together with my colleagues in Hiroshima, we'll be bringing you the latest developments from the summit for the next while, so stay tuned.

Tessa Wong
in Hiroshima

Image source, EPA

One of the major questions that came up with news first broke of Volodymyr Zelensky's plan to visit Hiroshima was simply: how?

There was the question of what route he would take - eastwards and giving Russia and China a wide berth, or the long way round westwards via the US and the Pacific? And also, who would he hitch a ride from?

Later on Friday, we had our answer. Zelensky took off for Saudi Arabia, and he did it on a French government plane loaned to him by President Emmanuel Macron.

Citing French diplomatic sources, Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun said Zelensky had told Macron he wanted to attend the G7summit when the leaders met for dinner in Paris last weekend, and asked him to arrange for a plane.

It's not the first time the Ukrainian president had French transport - he travelled with Macron to Brussels for the EU Summit in February.

But his ride to Hiroshima is yet another sign of the close relationship Zelensky has cultivated with Macron, who has positioned himself as a key broker between Russia and Ukraine.

He often refers to the French leader by his first name in statements. Macron was also one of the first people Zelensky called when Russian tanks first rolled into Ukraine, making a desperate plea for help.

But a plane to jet halfway round the world isn't the only thing Emmanuel Macron has given him.

During Zelensky's visit to Paris he was promised fresh weapons including armoured vehicles and light tanks - cementing an enduring French connection.

Shaimaa Khalil
Japan correspondent, in Hiroshima

The symbolism of the G7 summit being held in Hiroshima has been almost as prominent as the city’s VIP guests.

But it’s safe to say the poignance of this symbolism is on a different level now that President Zelensky has landed here. Walking through the streets this morning you could feel something big was about to happen.

The roads had been emptied, there were police everywhere and metal barricades lined both directions of one of the main streets that leads to our press centre.

Now we know it was for Zelensky’s motorcade.

This is a significant moment for the Ukrainian leader. He arrives here with a promise of the F16s he’d been requesting for months. It’s a solid footing at the centre of the world stage.

Image source, Getty Images

But this is also monumental for the city of Hiroshima and for the Japanese leader Fumio Kishida, who appeared quite pleased welcoming G7 leaders to the Peace Memorial Park and posing for the family photo on day one.

Now imagine the optics of him and Zelensky at that hugely symbolic location. This is a huge moment for Japan’s standing in the world, now considered the linchpin of maintaining a balance of alliances and reaching out to the global south.

Now it has also hosted the Ukrainian president who will address the G7 and the world from here as his country continues its resistance against Russian attacks. Even before the summit began, Kishida’s approval ratings were above 50% for the first time in nearly a year.

His hope will be that the G7 summit and Zelensky’s appearance will provide a further boost to those ratings.

Whether or not he’ll choose to capitalise on that by asking for an election is hard to say, but it will put him in a much stronger standing domestically.

Laura Bicker
In Hiroshima

The leaders of the seven richest democracies are warning countries who use trade as a weapon that they will face “consequences”.

That's according to a summit statement devoted to "economic resilience", that doesn’t mention China by name’.

The idea is to send a signal to China over what the United States has described as economic bullying.

Washington is increasingly worried about the role Beijing plays in supplying the world with everything from semiconductors to critical minerals.

And that is because China has become a manufacturing superpower. In 1985, the U.S. imported just under $4bn worth of goods from China. Last year that figure was whopping $536.75bn.

This gives Beijing economic leverage which South Korea and Australia know all too well. The leaders of both countries have been invited as extra guests at the summit and can speak from experience.

The problem for many of the G7 countries is that China is their main trading partner. Perhaps that is why the original summit statement doesn’t mention Beijing by name.

However, the Chinese embassy in London has hit back, urging the G7 "to discard the Cold War mentality and ideological prejudice...and stop deliberately creating antagonism and division in the international community".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was welcomed to the G7 summit in Japan today with a slap on the back and a warm greeting from UK PM Rishi Sunak.

It's the second time in a week the pair have met, with Sunak tweeting after the reunion: "Ukraine, we’re not going anywhere."