Ursula von der Leyen, Joe Biden, Rishi Sunak, Charles Michel, Volodymyr Zelensky, from right to left during a meeting  on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, Sunday, May 21, 2023. Photo: European Commission (Dati Bendo), Attribution, via Wikimedia Commons

He confirmed this at a press conference in Japan, where he is a guest at the G7 meeting.

He confirmed what the Russians claim: that the city of Bakhmut is no longer in Ukrainian hands.

It is a major loss of prestige for Zelenskyj, who has been on a diplomatic tour to enlist support, politically and militarily.

Everyone has been waiting for a Ukrainian spring offensive. Now it is the Russians who have won the battle for a city which has cost both sides heavy losses and a lot of material.