At a press conference on Sunday, May 21, 2023, the final day of the G-7 summit, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, insisted that Bakhmut “is not occupied” by Russia after Moscow-backed mercenary Wagner group made claims of control over the city.
On Saturday, May 20, 2023, Head of Wagner group, Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed that his fighters, who have led the Russian assault on Bakhmut, were in full control of the city. He spoke surrounded by about a half-dozen fighters, with ruined buildings in the background and explosions heard in the distance.
Responding to a reporter’s question about the status of Bakhmut at the Group of Seven summit, Zelenskyy stated, “Bakhmut is not occupied by the Russian Federation as of today.”
“We are not throwing people (away) to die. People are the treasure. I clearly understand what is happening in Bakhmut. I cannot share with you the technical details of what is happening with our warriors.”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
“There are no two or three interpretations of those words,” he added, after earlier confusion about his remarks on the status of the city. There had been some confusion about the status of Bakhmut, after Zelenskyy earlier said, “But, for today, Bakhmut is only in our hearts. There is nothing on this place, so — just ground and — and a lot of dead Russians.”
Zelenskyy compared Bakhmut to Hiroshima, which was hit by an atomic bomb in World War Two. He drew several parallels between Hiroshima and Ukraine, saying that pictures of the Japanese city in ruins after bombing reminded him of present-day Bakhmut. He vowed that there would be a similar “reconstruction and recovery” of Ukraine.
“Now Hiroshima has rebuilt their city, and we dream of rebuilding our cities,” he said.
Earlier on Sunday, Zelenskyy visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. He laid a wreath for those who were killed when the United States dropped the atomic bomb on the city in 1945.
Zelensky expressed gratitude to the G7 host city of Hiroshima for every blue and yellow flag on the streets. He asserted that when there is a Ukrainian flag, there is evidence that there is faith in freedom, faith in life and “faith in our people”.
Biden Announces $375 Million More In Aid For Ukraine
At the G-7 in Japan, The Ukrainian President stood side by side with U.S. President Joe Biden during a news conference. Biden announced $375 million more in aid for Ukraine, which included more ammunition, artillery and vehicles.
“I thanked him for the significant financial assistance to (Ukraine) from (the U.S.),” Zelenskyy tweeted later.
The new pledge came after the U.S. agreed to allow training on American-made F-16 fighter jets, laying the groundwork for their eventual transfer to Ukraine. Biden said on Sunday that Zelenskyy had given the U.S. a “flat assurance” that Ukraine wouldn’t use the F-16s jets to attack Russian territory.
He called for a “just peace that respects Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
He added that his visit to the Hiroshima memorial was a “powerful reminder of the devastating reality of nuclear war” and the need to strive for peace.
Also, Biden stated that the U.S will continue to put Taiwan “in a position where they can defend themselves.” He iterated that there “would be a response” if China acted unilaterally on Taiwan.
