13 mins ago – 1.27AMZelenskyy says G7 leaders pledge more vital help for Ukraine against RussiaAPUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country has won key pledges of further support from world leaders in defending itself from Russia’s full-scale invasion, now in its fifth year.Leaders attending the Group of Seven summit in France promised to strengthen Ukraine’s air defences and ensure its energy supply, as well as step up international economic pressure on Moscow.“The G7 Summit in France delivered important results for Ukraine. Most importantly, we agreed on additional strengthening of Ukraine’s air defence,” Zelensky, who attended the gathering, said on X.“Our partners will ensure support for our defence and energy resilience,” he said, adding they will also introduce new sanctions on Russia.French President Emmanuel Macron said the summit at the lakeside resort of Evian-les-Bains produced “unprecedented convergence” among G7 leaders, including US President Donald Trump, on maintaining support for Ukraine. Trump and Zelensky have had a sometimes strained relationship.Zelensky has spent a lot of time since the war began in 2022 trying to secure international support and isolate Russian President Vladimir Putin diplomatically.Zelensky was expected at a European Union summit in Brussels on Thursday. Ukraine on Monday officially started its EU membership negotiations, launching a process that could take years even as it fights Russia.The Iran war has distracted Washington from its largely fruitless effort to end the fighting in Ukraine, and Zelensky sought to engage with Trump at the G7 gathering where key European leaders were also present.