Zelensky G7 speech calls for arms to Ukraine

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Zelensky earlier told US President Joe Biden that “there is nothing left” in Bakhmut after Russia’s defence ministry claimed it had seized the key Ukrainian city.

“For today, Bakhmut is only in our hearts. There is nothing,” he said, except for “a lot of dead Russians”.

The eight-month battle for the city in eastern Ukraine has been one of the most bloody of the war, causing 354,000 casualties who have been killed or wounded.

But he later clarified he had not intended to convey that the city had been completely taken over by Russian forces after a series of claims and counterclaims from Moscow and Kyiv.

“Bahkmut is not occupied by the Russian Federation as of today,” he said in Hiroshima.

The head of Russia’s Wagner mercenary army Yevgeny Prigozhin had earlier claimed that Bakhmut had come under complete Russian control at about midday on Saturday.

The G7 push has been met with threats of retaliation by the Russian armed forces, which has positioned two submarines and warships in the Black Sea, sparking fears it could hit Ukraine with more missile strikes to coincide with the G7, a spokeswoman for Ukraine’s military told Ukrainian television.

In a series of group meetings with G7 leaders over the weekend, including Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Zelensky broadened his pitch for more support beyond Europe’s borders.

“We don’t have accidental meetings,” said Zelensky. “I cannot afford myself to have accidental meetings because we are at war.”

Albanese said the Australian government was always examining what it can do to support the people of Ukraine and President Zelensky, but did not announce any new measures for the war-torn country in Hiroshima.

“We regard his struggle as a struggle on behalf of all those who support nation-states continuing to exist within sovereign borders,” he said. “The illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine is an outrage.”

Zelensky confirmed he was working with Australia on further measures. “I cannot say details, but we are grateful for those packages of support,” he said. “I am really grateful for that.”

He called on all democratic countries – including Japan and South Korea – who have yet to supply lethal weapons to Ukraine to provide them to Kyiv as the war enters its next phase.

“We will paralyse other potential aggressors,” he said. “When everyone who wants war sees how united and determined the world is for peace, there will be no point in them starting a war.”

G7 leaders appear to have organised some meetings to target neutral powers who have refused to take a position on the war. “I do believe that it can be a game changer,” said French President Emmanuel Macron.

On Saturday, the Ukrainian President was seated next to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and was part of a group session with Brazilian President Lula da Silva. Lula last month called for Zelensky to give up Crimea.

Modi has declined to back sanctions against Moscow due to India’s dependence on Russian military supplies, but the Indian leader was seen shaking Zelensky’s hand in Hiroshima and maintained New Delhi’s “clear support for dialogue and diplomacy to find a way forward”.