OUR Group of Seven (G7) more advanced industrialized countries pointed to Russia his willingness to support Ukraine in the long term, while giving President Volodymyr Zelensky a chance to win over countries such as Brazil and India on the last day of the G7 summit in Japan.

Distrust of China as a trading partner and a determination to help Ukraine fend off a Russian invasion were the central messages of the world’s richest democracies at the Hiroshima summit.

But today, as G7 leaders began summing up their three-day meeting, Russia said it had finally captured the city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine after a months-long siege that was the bloodiest battle of the war.

The leaders of the G7 countries – the US, Japan, Germany, Britain, France, Italy and Canada – discussed how they should respond to the prolongation of the conflict that began in February last year. Possible joint programs to train Ukrainian pilots in US-made F-16 fighter jets have sent a signal to Russia that it should not expect success in its invasion by prolonging the conflict, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said today.

Ukraine has not secured commitments to transfer the planes, but President Joe Biden and senior US officials have told G7 leaders that Washington supports the alliance’s joint programs to train Ukrainian F-16 pilots.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron said the summit was an opportunity to persuade major emerging powers such as India and Brazil to support Ukraine.

Shortly after Zelensky’s arrival in Hiroshima, Russia claimed victory at Bahamut. Hours before Moscow’s announcement, Ukraine rejected claims by Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Primakov that fighters from his Wagner company had completed their takeover of the city.

On the first day of the summit on Friday, in addition to Biden’s support for the training of Ukrainian F-16 pilots, the G7 announced new sanctions against Russia.

Biden also plans to provide Japan with a $375 million military aid package to Ukraine, according to a US official. The official, who asked not to be named, said the package would include artillery, ammunition and HIMARS rocket launchers.

Zelenskiy pressured countries to continue providing both economic and military assistance to his country.

Yesterday, the G7 leaders also presented a common approach to China, seeking to limit the risks of their economic relations with it, however, without looking away from the country, which is considered the factory of the world.

The leaders said cooperation with China is essential given its role in the international community and its weight as the world’s second largest economy, as well as in areas of common interest such as efforts to fight climate change and protect biodiversity.

However, they added that they would take steps to protect sensitive technologies that could pose a threat to national security without restricting trade and investment beyond what is necessary.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told the ZDF network today that the US, Germany and other rich countries will ensure that their major investments in China continue, as well as supply chains and exports to China, but the G7 is sending a clear message that it is committed to limiting risk.