G7 summit: Jeddah, sleep and a French plane; Here’s how Zelensky got to Japan

Since Russia invaded Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron’s diplomatic efforts have angered some of his allies and made them wary of his intentions, despite Paris providing Ukraine with substantial military and financial aid.

But on Friday, when Zelensky landed in Jeddah to address the Arab League for the first time, a French Airbus decorated with the tricolor flag marked an achievement for Macron.

According to French officials, the idea of ​​bringing the Ukrainian leader to the G7 had been in the works for several weeks after initial discussions with the Japanese hosts, especially given an extensive list of attendees.

Members of the Global South, a term for some mostly low- and middle-income countries including India and Brazil, two countries that have not distanced themselves from Moscow, are attending the summit.

A French presidential official said, “The Ukrainians asked that President Zelensky be taken away by the French military.” This decision was made on Wednesday.

According to officials, the Ukrainian delegation was picked up from the Polish border before starting the four-hour flight to Jeddah as part of a wider effort by Zelensky to reach countries that remain on the fence in the conflict.

A second French official said, “It was an opportunity for him to clarify his position with countries he doesn’t normally talk to.”

Speaking ahead of a bilateral meeting with Macron in Hiroshima, Zelensky thanked France and said he had received “positive signals” from Arab states.

One of the officials traveling on the plane with the Ukrainian delegation said it was striking how tired they were and had had a chance to catch up on sleep on the 15-hour flight from Saudi to Japan, crossing Chinese airspace. Was. Way.

But, the official said, Zelensky had convened his diplomatic and military teams on several occasions to work out how he would handle the various dynamics each of his potential interlocutors would consider war. The aim, French officials said, was to influence their stand.

This was not the first time that Paris had offered its aviation facilities. French officials said a French government Falcon jet had flown Zelensky from Brussels to Poland, following a summit of European heads of state in February.

“A plane in the colors of the French Republic has arrived in Hiroshima,” Macron tweeted after meeting Zelensky. “On board, the Ukrainian delegation came to the G7 to work with us and our allies for the victory of Ukraine and the restoration of peace in Europe.”

The text of this story is published from a wire agency feed without any modification. Only the headline has been changed.