RUSSIA SLAMS “PROPAGANDA SHOW”
The White House earlier unveiled a US$375 million package of US aid that includes ammunition for HIMARS rocket launchers, artillery shells, anti-tank guided missiles and thermal imaging systems.
It came after the United States lifted a veto on Ukrainian access to advanced US-made F-16 fighter jets, a significant upgrade from Kyiv’s Cold War-era fleet of MiGs and Sukhois.
Beyond the promised supplies, the trip has been a major diplomatic coup for Zelenskyy.
It prompted an angry Moscow to denounce the entire G7 summit as a “propaganda show” that whipped up “hateful anti-Russian and also anti-Chinese messages”.
Separately, the foreign ministry in Beijing said it had summoned G7 host Japan’s ambassador on Sunday to protest against what it described as efforts to “smear and attack” China at the gathering.
Zelenskyy put his country and Russia’s invasion firmly at the top of the agenda and secured firm backing for key elements of his 10-point peace plan, centred on the need for a Russian withdrawal.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the message from Ukraine and its allies was clear: “Russia must withdraw troops.”
Any peace plan, he said, “can’t simply be linked to a freeze of the conflict”.
“Russia should not bet that if it holds out long enough, it will end up weakening support for Ukraine.”
The summit also afforded Zelenskyy a rare opportunity to make his case to a handful of nations who have pointedly offered little or no condemnation of Russia’s invasion.
Leaders from India, Brazil, Vietnam and Indonesia were among those invited to attend the summit as non-members.
After a one-to-one meeting, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Zelenskyy: “I understand your pain and the pain of Ukrainian citizens very well.
“I can assure you that to resolve this, India and, me personally, will do whatever we can do.”
Source: CNA
