UK PM to seek more Ukraine support in summits next week

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will push other global leaders to pledge more support for Ukraine in its defence against the Russian invasion when he attends international summits next week.

On May 16, Sunak will travel to Iceland to meet other European leaders attending a Council of Europe summit, Reuters informs.

In addition to the war in Ukraine, efforts to strengthen Europe's borders will also form part of Sunak's discussions in Reykjavik.

He will then travel to Tokyo to announce a defence and technology collaboration with Japan, before meeting leaders of other Group of Seven (G7) advanced economies in Hiroshima, starting on Friday.

At the G7 summit, Sunak will again push for more assistance for Ukraine as it prepares for escalating military action against Russia, Downing Street said.

Sunak will also press allies to counter hostile states using "economic coercion" - an oblique reference to China.

"This year's G7 Summit in Hiroshima comes at a pivotal moment, as Ukraine doubles down in its fight for survival and we deal with complex threats to global peace and prosperity," Sunak said in a statement.

According to Sunak’s office, the prime minister will hold several bilateral meetings during the summit.

This week, G7 finance ministers warned of mounting economic uncertainty, in a subdued end to a three-day summit overshadowed by concerns about the US debt stalemate and fallout from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.