At the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy confirmed the loss of the city of Bakhmut to Russian forces. He stated that “for today, it is only in our hearts” and that the city had been destroyed with “little left” of it after a lengthy military onslaught. The assault on the city was led by troops from the Wagner Group of mercenaries, whose leader Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed earlier in the day that his troops had finally pushed the Ukrainians out of the last built-up area inside the city. Kyiv had previously denied Prigozhin’s claim. Russia claimed on Saturday to have fully captured the city which, if true, would mark the end of the longest and bloodiest battle of the 15-month war. Russia refers to the city by its Soviet-era name, Artyomovsk. In response, US President Joe Biden announced $375m worth of aid for Ukraine, which included ammunition, artillery, and vehicles.
Mr. Zelenskiy continued to seek global support on Sunday for Kyiv’s plan to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, telling G7 leaders the plan was “an obvious expression of rationality”. In a speech to the leaders, the text of which was posted on the president’s website, Mr. Zelenskiy stated that “We always act practically, protecting our values. And the Ukrainian peace formula is an obvious expression of rationality. I thank you for supporting our formula.” He also spoke of the peace formula in a separate social media post. “We have developed the peace formula in a way that ensures each of its points is backed by UN resolutions… and in a way that everyone in the world can choose the track they can contribute to. From Japan to the Arab countries, from Europe to Latin America, we find support for our formula.”
Mr. Zelenskiy has pushed western allies and other countries to go further on both economic and military measures to support Kyiv. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday congratulated the Wagner mercenary force and the Russian army for what he called the “liberation” of the city, stating that the battle had ended in a Russian victory, and that all those who had “excelled” in it on Moscow’s side would be given state awards.
The situation in Ukraine has escalated since 2014, with Russia annexing Crimea and a war between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists breaking out in the Donbass region of Ukraine. In 2019, Mr. Zelenskiy was elected on a platform of ending the war and bringing about peace. The conflict has led to deadly clashes, displacement of millions, damage to infrastructure, and economic turmoil. Russia has denied direct involvement in the conflict, but western countries and many Ukrainian officials have accused Russia of supplying weapons and troops to the separatists.
The G7 summit in Hiroshima comes at a crucial time for the group, as it seeks to define its role in international relations and respond to global challenges such as Covid-19, climate change, and conflict resolution. The group, which consists of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, has faced criticism in recent years for being slow to adapt to changing global realities and for its decision-making process, which many see as too limited and exclusive. However, the summit has been seen as an opportunity for the group to demonstrate its relevance and unity in the face of these challenges.
