The G7 summit, all the power of capitalism in function of supporting Ukraine

First modification: 05/21/2023 – 17:41

The position against the advance of Russia and China in the global sphere, artificial intelligence, climate change and the war in Ukraine were the topics discussed by the leaders of the main capitalist economies of the world, who listened to Volodimir Zelensky on Sunday, in the last day of the traditional annual summit, which lasts three days.

On Sunday, May 21, the talks focused on Western support for kyiv in the war against Ukraine unleashed by Russia; and the deployment of plans to increase efforts to end the conflict with Moscow, which is already 15 months old since its inception.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, whose country hosted the event, said the group is committed to “strong support for Ukraine from all possible dimensions.” Zelenski thanked for the invitation to the summit and recalled the support that Japan has provided in the context of the conflict.

There is talk of training and aircraft, but it does not materialize

On the sidelines of the event, US President Joe Biden, Kiev’s main backer in the fighting, announced a new $375 million military aid package, bringing Washington’s financial aid to $37 billion. , Zelenski confirmed on his Twitter.

“Along with the entire G7, we have the support of Ukraine and I promise that we will not go anywhere,” Biden told Zelensky in a conversation in which he also stressed that the shipments will include “ammunition, artillery and armored vehicles.”

This announcement comes two days after the United States confirmed that it will help train Ukrainian pilots in F-16 combat actions, aircraft that Kiev has previously said it needs to increase its air dominance over Moscow.

However, it remains unclear if the US will simply allow other nations to send F-16s to Ukraine, or if the US will send some as well. And there are no estimates on how many of the jets will be provided or when.

For this reason, Zelensky took advantage of the moment to reiterate to his US counterpart that he is confident that, in addition to training the Ukrainian soldiers, the West can provide the fourth-generation aircraft that his troops needed to replace the old Soviet weapons currently used.

“We will have the planes. I can’t say for now how many… It’s not a secret. I don’t know,” he told the local press.

On the subject, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that the pilot training is a message for Russia to understand that “it should not expect to succeed in its invasion.”

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak For his part, he assured that the training of the pilots “will begin this summer.” Last February, he had already announced this aid for Ukrainian pilots with an emphasis on NATO F-16 fighter jets, but key details such as the dates or the place where they will take place are not yet known.

The dispute for control of Bakhmut

As important details of the war, the Ukrainian president spoke about the Bakhmut scenario and about the declarations that Russia has made of “total control” of this eastern city, a major symbolic prize for either party and one of the bloodiest disputes in the context of the war.

“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, but I cannot share with you the technical details of what is happening with our warriors,” Zelensky said.

Earlier, in a video posted on his Telegram account, General Oleksandr Syrskyi claimed that Kiev forces were advancing on Russian forces in the suburbs, an “insignificant” part of the city, and that they were approaching an “encirclement”. tactical”.

The above statement arose in response to this video in which the Russian leader of the Wagner paramilitary group confirms the “total takeover” of the Ukrainian city of some 70,000 inhabitants.

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However, when journalists asked Zelensky if the city was in Ukrainian hands, this was his answer: “I think not, but you have to understand, there is nothing, they have destroyed everything. There are no buildings. It is It’s a shame. It’s a tragedy (…) “But for today, Bakhmut is only in our hearts. There’s nothing in this place, so just dirt and, and a lot of dead Russians,” he said.

The President of Ukraine also compared the devastating Hiroshima attack of 1945 to what has happened recently in his country:

“I will tell you openly: the photographs of Hiroshima in ruins absolutely remind me of Bakhmut and other similar settlements. Nothing was left alive, all the buildings in ruins,” he said after laying flowers at the museum for the victims of the first atomic bombing that ended World War II.

With Reuters and AP.