Tessa Wong
in Hiroshima

The G7 joint communique talks about the leaders' commitment to the Indo-Pacific, which they have tried to demonstrate by inviting several members from that region such as Indonesia, India and the Cook Islands.

In particular they stress their support of South East Asian and Pacific countries, which have been heavily wooed by Beijing in the past decade. They don’t mention China directly here, but it is clear who they’re talking about when they call for a “free and open Indo-Pacific” – rhetoric we have heard before in response to China’s claims in the South China Sea.

But elsewhere in the communique, the G7 leaders do tackle the China question head on.

They state they are not seeking a policy designed to hinder China's economic progress. But they also vow to take steps to “reduce excessive dependences in our critical supply chains” – a reference to how the G7 countries are still inextricably linked to China in trade.

Notably, they call for “de-risking” – a policy that EU President Ursula von der Leyen, who is attending the summit, has championed. This is a more moderate version of the US’ idea of decoupling from China, where they would talk tougher in diplomacy, diversify its trade sources, and protect its trade and technology.

Finally, they address the ever-sensitive issue of Taiwan. G7 leaders say there is “no change” in their basic positions and call for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

It’s worth noting this comes after French President Emmanuel Macron attracted criticism when he said France should not get caught up in any escalation between the US and China over Taiwan.

China, by the way, had pre-emptively put out a statement earlier today.

It insisted that “resolving the Taiwan question is a matter for the Chinese" and also urged the G7 to “stop grossly interfering in other countries’ internal affairs" and "stop the practice of forming small circles for bloc confrontation".

We can bring you some more pictures from Hiroshima now, where UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met on the side lines of the G7 summit.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Earlier on Radio 4’s Today programme, international editor Jeremy Bowen described the decision by the US to allow its Western allies to supply Kyiv with the planes as “very significant”, but added there were still many issues that needed to be ironed out.

“It’s not even quite clear where the physical aircraft are going to come from,” he said, before saying that issues around training, technical expertise and the use of airfields also need to be addressed.

Bowen said the jets will “absolutely not” be used in Ukraine’s much-touted counter-offensive, expected to take place in the east of the country in the coming weeks or months.

On Zelensky’s visit to Japan, he said the Ukrainian leader appears to be on a mission to try to woo countries that have been neutral about the war – many of which come from the so-called Global South.

“If you sit in London, you sit in Europe, you sit in America, it sometimes feels like the whole world is against Russia and supporting Ukraine, but really that’s not the case.

“He will try and persuade them because they are significant emerging powers, [but] I think it’s going to be difficult for him to change many minds”.

Western countries will be running "colossal risks" if they supply Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets, according to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko, who is quoted by Russia's TASS news agency.

It follows the announcement the US will allow Western allies to give jets to Ukraine, as well as facilitating joint allied training programs for Ukrainian troops.

"We see that Western countries are still adhering to the escalation scenario. It involves colossal risks for themselves," Grushko was quoted as saying.

"In any case, this will be taken into account in all our plans, and we have all the necessary means to achieve the goals we have set."

Image source, PA Media

In the last few minutes, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met Volodymyr Zelensky with an embrace at the G7 summit in Hiroshima.

Sunak said: “You made it.”

Asked if it was a good day, the Ukrainian president smiled, nodded and said “thank you”.

The two leaders last met Monday, where it was announced that the UK would send hundreds of air defence missiles and armed drones to Ukraine on top of the Storm Shadow cruise missiles announced last week.

Tessa Wong
in Hiroshima

The G7 leaders' final communique begins with their top two concerns.

They say they are committed 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 help the rest of the world dealing with the negative impact of the war.

During this summit the US has given the green light to allies to send fighter jets to Ukraine and G7 leaders have pledged further sanctions on Russia.

But it’s worth noting that it remains very uncertain whether Zelensky will get his “coalition of jets” in time for his planned counter-offensive, which is due to happen very soon. We also don’t have details on these promised sanctions.

Next, the communique highlights the leaders’ “Hiroshima Vision” on nuclear disarmament, released on Friday, where they expressed their commitment to a “world without nuclear weapons”.

But it makes no clear promises.

Anti-nuclear activists have lambasted the statement for making no commitment to get rid of the G7 countries’ own nuclear arsenals.

Image source, .

The map above shows the extensive travel Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has undertaken since Russia's invasion in February 2022 as he tries to garner political support for his country.

Chris Mason
Political editor, in Hiroshima

Image source, Getty Images

There was a real sense of anticipation here ahead of Zelensky's arrival, following that announcement around the provision of F-16 fighter jets and the training of Ukrainian pilots on them.

This is something the Ukrainian president has been calling on for months and encountered some reticence from some in the West fearing it could escalate the conflict and draw Russia into a more aggressive stance.

There was also a concern about the practicalities and the training of those pilots taking months and there's still the expectation that this will be the case.

But nonetheless, quite a moment. This is a diplomatic triumph for Ukraine, securing something it has been calling for.

We’re expecting the Ukrainian president to speak to several leaders while he's here, I think we can expect him to see the British prime minister while this summit is going on.

We got a sense of this coming choreography on the international stage just the other day at the Council of Europe meeting in Iceland. Rishi Sunak was there, as was the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, and they talked about assembling this international coalition trying to provide these jets.

So, quite a moment for Ukraine. And quite a moment for the G7, too.

Tessa Wong
in Hiroshima

In the last hour we've just received a copy of the G7 leaders' final communique. It comes a day earlier than expected - the summit wraps up tomorrow - but it looks like Zelensky's arrival has hastened proceedings and leaders want to clear the decks before they engage in talks with him.

The 40-page document touches on how the G7 wants to support Ukraine in its war with Russia, their stance on Chinese economic coercion, as well as other topics like nuclear non-proliferation and artificial intelligence.

I'll be going through the document, telling you about its key points and what they mean - stay tuned.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Hiroshima ahead of a meeting with G7 leaders tomorrow.

The timeline of his trip to Japan wasn't clear until today, and the French government plane he was travelling in landed in Japan just over an hour ago.

Image source, EPA

Image source, EPA

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, EPA

Tessa Wong
in Hiroshima

Image source, Getty Images

It’s safe to say that Volodymyr Zelensky has stolen the show at G7 with his surprise visit to Hiroshima.

For the past 24 hours, the “will he or won’t he” drama over his trip to Japan has dominated the news cycle. News of his possible visit broke on Friday and stole the limelight just as leaders visited a peace memorial park in Hiroshima.

But even as news outlets scrambled to confirm it, there were confusing signals from Ukrainian officials. First they indicated he was staying in Kyiv and patching in by video-link as planned, then said he was coming, then said he was staying.

It was perhaps a sign that, while his visit was reportedly mooted weeks ago in chats between Zelensky and Japanese PM Fumio Kishida, the final decision was made abruptly.

Nobody was sure when he would arrive, until live vision of his French plane touching down at Hiroshima airport suddenly flashed on TVs here in the G7 media centre, sending a frisson of excitement among the press pack.

Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

Now that he is here, his star power adds a zing to the placid diplomatic proceedings – maybe even threatens to overshadow it. But it is unlikely the G7 leaders will mind. After all, the Ukraine war was going to be top of the agenda of the summit.

Their sanctions so far have failed to stop Russia’s invasion, and Friday’s pledge to “starve” Russia of resources for its “war machine” remains vague.

But with the optics of world leaders literally standing shoulder to shoulder with Zelensky, as they pledge to aid him with his request of a “coalition of jets”, the calculation is to send a firm message to Moscow: We mean business.

Image source, Getty Images

We can bring you some more detail now on the announcement from the United States yesterday on the supply of fighter jets to Ukraine.

The US said it would allow its Western allies to supply Ukraine with advanced fighter jets, including American-made F-16s, in a major boost for Kyiv.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan said President Joe Biden "informed his G7 counterparts" of the decision at the bloc's summit in Japan yesterday.

US troops will also train Kyiv's pilots to use the jets, Sullivan said.

Ukraine has long sought advanced jets and President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the move as a "historic decision".

• You can read more from our defence correspondent Jonathan Beale here

In the last few minutes, we’ve heard from Volodymyr Zelensky who tweeted about his attendance at the G7 summit.

“Japan. G7. Important meetings with partners and friends of Ukraine,” he said, external.

“Security and enhanced cooperation for our victory. Peace will become closer today.”

Zelensky's arrival comes hard on the heels of US approval of a scheme to allow Ukrainian pilots to train on American-made F-16 fighter jets. This paves the way for countries including The Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark to give Ukraine some of their own planes.

He has long campaigned for such help and described the decision as historic.

Tessa Wong
in Hiroshima

Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Hiroshima, Japan for the G7 summit.

Live footage by Japanese TV stations showed the Ukrainian president arriving on a French government plane at Hiroshima airport.

He stepped off the plane, rushed down the steps, shook hands briefly with waiting officials, and entered a waiting car which whisked him away.

Jamie Whitehead
Live reporter

Hello and thanks for joining our live coverage of the G7 summit in Japan where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Hiroshima.

The meeting of rich allied nations - the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan – is gathering this weekend.

Zelensky will meet US President Joe Biden and other leaders at the summit after welcoming what he called the "historic" decision by the US to support plans to train Ukrainian pilots on American-made F-16 fighter jets.

It’s not clear as yet what engagements the Ukrainian leader will carry out in Hiroshima today, where it’s now after 16:00 local time.

I’m here in London with my colleague Marita Moloney and together with Tessa Wong, who’s in Hiroshima, we’ll be bringing you the latest developments so stay with us.