Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on "Twitter" today, Sunday, that he met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the sidelines of the G7 Summit held in Hiroshima, Japan.

Zelensky added, "We discussed the possibility of increasing cooperation in the security and defense fields, the situation on the front, and training Ukrainian officers within the framework of the Canadian training mission (UNIFIER)."

A Means to Build Peace

For his part, French President Emmanuel Macron told the press in Japan on Sunday that the presence of his Ukrainian counterpart at the G7 Summit in Hiroshima is "a means to build peace."

Macron added that making a French plane available to Zelensky to first take him to the Arab League summit, then to the G7 in Japan, demonstrates France's work on "building peace and seeking solutions."

Continuing Battles

Russia announced on Saturday evening that it had completely controlled the city of Bakhmut, the center of fighting in eastern Ukraine, while Kyiv confirmed that the fighting continues despite acknowledging that the situation is "critical."

The Russian Ministry of Defense said that "following the offensive actions of Wagner units, supported by the artillery and aviation of the Southern unit, the liberation of the city of Artemovsk was completed," using the Soviet name for Bakhmut.

Just a few hours earlier, Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of Wagner, had announced control over the city of Bakhmut.

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated the Wagner group and his army on Saturday evening after their announcement of control over the city of Bakhmut, according to a Kremlin statement quoted by Russian news agencies.

The TASS agency quoted a Kremlin statement saying, "Putin congratulated the Wagner assault units as well as all soldiers of the Russian Armed Forces units who provided the necessary support to complete the operation to liberate Artemovsk."

If control over Bakhmut is confirmed, Moscow will be able to declare victory after a series of military setbacks, ahead of a Ukrainian counteroffensive Kyiv has been preparing for months.

Complete Control

Prigozhin's announcement came as the Ukrainian president participates in the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, where he is holding meetings with many world leaders in an effort to increase international pressure on Moscow.

The head of Wagner said in a video clip broadcast by his media apparatus on "Telegram," showing him standing alongside armed men in front of destroyed buildings, "On May 20, 2023, today (Saturday), Bakhmut was completely controlled."

Prigozhin, who is in a dispute with the Russian military leadership, added, "The operation to control Bakhmut took 224 days, Wagner alone was here," affirming that there are no Russian army forces present.

In contrast, Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar confirmed on "Telegram" that Ukrainian forces still "control some industrial facilities and infrastructure" and residential buildings in the area, while acknowledging at the same time that "the situation is critical."

Meanwhile, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak affirmed via television that "Bakhmut will be liberated like all Ukrainian territories."

Prigozhin said the Wagner group will withdraw its fighters from the city starting May 25 and will hand over the city's defense to the Russian army, placing his fighters at Moscow's disposal for future operations.

He added, "From now until May 25, we will inspect the entire city, set up defensive positions and hand them over to the military. On our part, we will return to the bases."

Heavy Losses

Both sides suffered heavy losses in Bakhmut, a city that had about 70,000 residents before the Russian attack and is now mostly destroyed due to the battles.

Russian forces made slow progress in the city and its surroundings, controlling neighboring towns such as Soledar to the north. They controlled more than 90 percent of Bakhmut in recent weeks and faced only a last pocket of Ukrainian resistance in the west.

However, Ukraine announced this week that it recaptured more than 20 square kilometers from Russian forces north and south of the city, posing a threat to Wagner forces.

Repeated Accusations

Prigozhin accused Russian army soldiers of fleeing their positions near Bakhmut, while also confirming that the General Staff does not provide his men with sufficient ammunition to weaken them.

He said on Saturday, "We did not only fight the Ukrainian army in Bakhmut but also the Russian bureaucracy that put sticks in our wheels."

He repeated his harsh criticisms of Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov, stating that the number of casualties among his forces in Bakhmut increased fivefold "because of their whims," and vowed that they "will bear responsibility for their actions."

Since the war began on February 24, 2022, Russia has suffered significant setbacks on the front, forcing it to withdraw from the vicinity of Kyiv, then from the Kharkiv region in northeastern Ukraine, and from the city of Kherson to the south.

The front line remained largely stable throughout the winter, with battles concentrating in Bakhmut, and both sides are now awaiting the counteroffensive promised by the Ukrainian authorities, relying on Western weapons supplies.

Zelensky recently announced that his army "needs more time" to prepare for this offensive.