President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine wrapped up his appearance at the Group of 7 summit in Japan with a visit to Hiroshima’s atomic bomb museum, saying on Sunday that he saw echoes of his own country’s pain in images of the 1945 devastation.
Mr. Zelensky later told a news conference that the experience had brought tears to his eyes, invoking the bloody battle for Bakhmut, the eastern Ukrainian city that Russia earlier on Sunday claimed to have captured despite Ukrainian insistence to the contrary.
While it “wouldn’t be fair” to compare the attack on Hiroshima to what was happening in his country, Mr. Zelensky said, “the pictures of ruined Hiroshima really totally remind me of Bakhmut.”
“Nothing alive is left,” he added.
Mr. Zelensky echoed the statements from Ukrainian military officials who have rejected claims that Bakhmut had been captured, saying “we are fighting on thanks to the courage of our warriors,” and expressed gratitude for the support shown to his country at the three-day summit of leaders of the world’s wealthiest democracies.
The president declined to provide details of military aid pledges he had secured at the summit, saying only that “weapons of high quality will be provided.” But he said he was pleased with the results of his meetings in Japan and that he hoped countries that have resisted sending lethal weapons would reconsider.
“I would like all of the states that are capable to provide help to us,” Mr. Zelensky said, acknowledging that some — including the host nation — had legislative or constitutional limitations to contend with.
While in Japan, Mr. Zelensky met with the leaders of close allies — including the United States, Britain, France and Germany — and also of countries such as India that have offered less full-throated condemnation of Moscow’s invasion.
Asked if he was disappointed that he had not met privately with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil — who has condemned President Vladimir V. Putin’s invasion but also suggested that Mr. Zelensky and NATO share some blame for the war — the Ukrainian leader’s response drew laughs.
“I think it disappointed him,” Mr. Zelensky told reporters.
