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Russia-Ukraine War: Zelenskiy Got More Military Aid, Diplomatic Support at G7 Summit

2023-05-21T16:39:00.690Z

Highlights: Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenskiy arrived in Hiroshima, Japan, on Saturday. He met with the leaders of the seven most industrialized Western economies. Moscow said it captured Bakhmut, the scene of the longest and bloodiest battle since the invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. Russian Foreign Ministry: G7 leaders invited to their meeting the head of the Kiev regime, which they control, and transformed the Hiroshima event into a propaganda show. But the Ukrainian president's diplomatic offensive was not entirely rounded: he did not meet his Ukrainian counterpart face-to-face.


He met with US President Joe Biden, who promised Kiev new shipments of weapons, ammunition and armored vehicles worth about $375 million.


Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenskiy obtained on Sunday new promises of delivery of military equipment, in addition to the "unwavering" diplomatic support of the G7 countries in Hiroshima, Japan, after Russia claimed the capture of Bakhmut, denied by Ukraine.

The Ukrainian head of state arrived in Hiroshima on Saturday, where he met with the leaders of the seven most industrialized Western economies (the United States, Canada, Japan, France, the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy), as well as other guests at the summit.

Shortly after his arrival, Moscow said it captured Bakhmut, the scene of the longest and bloodiest battle since the invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.

Zelenskiy acknowledged that there were Russian troops in the eastern city, but insisted that the town "is not occupied."

Zelenskiy acknowledged that there were Russian troops in the eastern city, but insisted that the town "is not occupied." Photo Reuters

"Nothing alive"


After laying flowers at a memorial to the victims of the 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima, the Ukrainian president compared that attack to the current situation in Bakhmut.

"The photos of Hiroshima remind me of Bakhmut. There is absolutely nothing alive, all the buildings are destroyed [...] Absolute and total destruction," he said.

But he promised that, like Hiroshima, Ukraine will also recover.

On Sunday, he met with US President Joe Biden who promised Kiev new shipments of weapons, ammunition and armored vehicles worth about 375 million dollars, days after allowing its allies to supply F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.

Biden said Western countries that support Kiev "will not waver" in the face of Russia's offensive in Ukraine. "Putin will not break our resolve [to support Kiev] as he thought he could," he said.

"The G7 leaders invited to their meeting the head of the Kiev regime, which they control, and transformed the Hiroshima event into a propaganda show," the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of the Wagner Group, claims that they took Bajmut. AP Photo

Zelenskiy's presence in Hiroshima placed Russia's invasion of Ukraine at the center of G7 debates, overshadowing other issues such as allies' relations with China.

Solidarity


With this invitation "we have shown the unwavering solidarity of the G7 with Ukraine," said Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, host of the summit.

In their successive meetings, Zelenskiy tried to rally support for a ten-point peace plan, focused on demanding Russia withdraw from Ukrainian territory.

But the Ukrainian president's diplomatic offensive was not entirely rounded: Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva did not meet his Ukrainian counterpart face-to-face.

Lula, who has been reluctant to condemn the Russian invasion, caused some controversy last month by declaring that the United States should stop "encouraging war."

But, vilifying the "violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity and launching calls for dialogue in group discussions, the Brazilian president criticized on Sunday the countries of the United Nations Security Council, whose permanent members are the United States, Russia, China, France and the United Kingdom.

"Permanent members perpetuate the long tradition of waging unauthorized wars, whether for the purpose of territorial expansion or regime change," he said, alluding to the invasion of Iraq by a U.S.-led coalition in 2003.

Zelenskiy indicated that he had not been able to meet with Lula because of an incompatibility of agendas.

Asked if he was disappointed that he could not speak directly to the Brazilian president, Zelenskiy replied: "I think it is he who is disappointed."

He did meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who declared that India will do "everything possible" to resolve the conflict, a promise Zelenskiy welcomed.

For his part, the head of the German government, Olaf Scholz, warned that "Russia should not bet that, if it resists enough, support for Ukraine will end up weakening."

The Ukrainian president's presence at the G7 is "a way to build peace," French President Emmanuel Macron said Sunday.

The Ukrainian president left Hiroshima on Sunday, according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK.

With Etienne Balmer. AFP Agency

PB

See also

Ukraine denies capture of Bakhmut by Russian mercenaries

Pope Francis has tasked a cardinal with leading a peace mission to stop the war in Ukraine

Source: clarin

All news articles on 2023-05-21

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