Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky secured fresh military aid from the United States during his visit to Hiroshima for the G7 summit.
He previously visited Saudi Arabia to garner support from the countries of the Arab League.
US President Joe Biden promised $375m assistance to the war-torn country, saying that the US was doing all it could to bolster Ukraine's war against Russia. The aid package consists of ammunition, artillery, armored vehicles, and training.
Earlier in the summit, the US permitted the transfer of US-built F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine as the country is preparing to mount its spring counter-offensive.
"Together with the entire G7, we have Ukraine's back, and I promise we're not going anywhere," Biden said.
Fall of Bakhmut
Russia's defense ministry announced on 20 May they had completed the "liberation" of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut in the highly-contested Donetsk oblast. Wagner Group boss Yevgeny Prigozhin also claimed the capture of the city.
According to Russian media, Vladimir Putin congratulated Russian forces for capturing the city after nine months of fighting.
However, Ukraine claims that the fighting for the city's control continues. Deputy defense minister Hanna Maliar said that the situation in Bakhmut is "critical," with only "certain industrial and infrastructure facilities" under Ukrainian control.
Meanwhile, Biden claimed that Russia suffered "over 100,000 casualties" in Bakhmut, including mercenaries from the Wagner Group.
The battle had also exposed the division within Russian forces, particularly between Prigozhin and the Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu, in relation to the Wagner Group's request for ammunition.
While the Battle of Bakhmut status produced mixed pronouncements, western officials and military analysts say that the Russian capture of the city is more of a symbolic victory than a strategic or operational success if confirmed.
However, Bakhmut is also considered a strategic point as the city is located along the E40 highway, connecting the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don with Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv. The capture of Bakhmut would allow Russia to move on to Kramatorsk and control the rest of the Donetsk region.
Brazil's reservations, India's caution
In its final communique, the G7 called the Russian invasion of Ukraine a "brutal war of aggression" threatening the world and its core values.
In line with the statement, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz insisted that Russia "must withdraw" its troops in Ukraine in order for peace talks to commence.
While the group stated their full support for Ukraine, not all of the G7 leaders warmly welcomed Zelensky in Japan.
For one, Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has not confirmed if he would meet with his Ukrainian counterpart.
Meanwhile, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi had a meeting with Zelensky and called for a ceasefire in Ukraine for the sake of the people suffering because of the war but fell short of condemning the Kremlin.
French President Emmanuel Macron hoped the summit would convince Brazil and India to support Ukraine, calling Zelensky's visit to the summit a "game-changer."
However, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov dismissed the G7 summit as a way of isolating Russia and China. He said that the summit not only wants to defeat Russia on the battlefield but also to "eliminate [the country] as a geopolitical competitor."
Bakhmut's similarity with Hiroshima
When asked about Bakhmut, Zelensky said that there is "nothing left" of the city.
"Bakhmut is only in our hearts," the Ukrainian president said.
Zelensky also commended Ukrainian forces in and around Bakhmut for their dogged defense of the city.
In addition, Zelensky's visit to Hiroshima, the first city destroyed by a nuclear weapon in 1945, reminded him of Bakhmut.
Hiroshima is the hometown of Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida. He also represents the city at the Japanese parliament.
