Calay News
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky received new pledges of military supplies and “unwavering” diplomatic support from G7 countries during the summit in Hiroshima, Japan. This came after Russia claimed the capture of Bakhmut, a claim that was denied by Ukraine. Zelensky met with the leaders of the seven most industrialized G7 countries as well as other guests.
Moscow announced the capture of Bakhmut shortly after Zelensky’s arrival in Hiroshima. Although Zelensky acknowledged the presence of Russian troops in the city, he stated that it was not occupied. During his visit, Zelensky compared the destruction in Bakhmut to the devastation of Hiroshima, promising that Ukraine would also recover.
In his meeting with US President Joe Biden, Ukraine was promised new shipments of weapons, ammunition, and armored vehicles worth approximately $375 million. Biden assured that Western countries supporting Ukraine would not waver in the face of the Russian offensive and asserted that Putin would not break his determination to support Kyiv.
Zelensky’s presence in Hiroshima brought the issue of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to the center of G7 discussions, overshadowing other issues such as relations with China. Despite his diplomatic efforts, Zelensky was unable to meet face-to-face with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who had been reluctant to condemn the Russian invasion. Zelensky indicated that the lack of a meeting was due to an incompatibility of agendas.
Zelensky succeeded in rallying support for a ten-point peace plan calling for Russia’s withdrawal from Ukrainian territory. The G7 leaders expressed their unwavering solidarity with Ukraine and pledged to build peace. Upon his departure from Hiroshima, Zelensky received a pledge from India to do everything possible to resolve the conflict, while the German chancellor warned Russia of weakening support for Ukraine if it continued to resist.
In short, Zelensky obtained promises of support and arms supplies during the G7 summit in Hiroshima, while Russia claimed to have captured Bakhmut, which was denied by Ukraine. Despite some setbacks, Zelensky managed to gather support for his peace plan and emphasize the solidarity of the G7 countries with Ukraine.
