Zelensky to travel to Japan for G7 Summit, officials say

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to travel to Japan for the Group of Seven (G7) summit, according to officials. 

This will be his first visit to Asia since the invasion from Russia last year, according to CNN.

The G7 Summit is an international forum which is held annually for the leaders of the G7 member states: France, the U.S, the UK, Germany, Japan, Italy, and Canada and the European Union (EU).

"Very important things will be decided there," Oleksii Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, said on Ukrainian television Friday. 

"Therefore the physical presence of our president is absolutely important – to defend our interests, to explain, to provide clear proposals and clear arguments on the events that are taking place in our country," he added, according to CNN.

International leaders emphasize that many countries are backing Ukraine as it continues its war with Russia.

"The key to Zelensky's visit is not his coming to see the G7 – he already has their full support. The key is seeing in person the governments who have been invited to the summit as participants this year – India, Indonesia, Brazil, and more," Josh Lipsky, the senior director of the Atlantic Council's GeoEconomics Center said in a statement.