'Russia trying to directly draw Belarus into Ukraine war': Zelenskyy addresses G7 meeting

On October 11, Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the virtual meeting held by G7. The G7 meeting was held after Russia began striking Ukrainian cities, a move that is being perceived as escalatory by Ukraine and the West. Whilst addressing the virtual meeting, the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that, “Russia is trying to directly draw Belarus into this war, playing a provocation that we are allegedly preparing an attack on this country,” as per a report by The Guardian. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s statements come after Belarus’ leader president Alexander Lukashenko claimed that Belarus is facing a threat from Ukraine and Ukraine’s western backers. Belarus’ president Alexander Lukashenko has reportedly ordered Belarus’ troops to move closer to the Ukrainian border along with Russian forces. 

Russia continues to brutally attack Ukraine

As the virtual meeting was being held, the western Ukrainian city of Lviv was being bombed, as per reports from The Telegraph. The attack on Lviv resulted in significant parts of the city losing access to electricity. Other cities across Ukraine were also targeted for the second day in a row. According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, Russia’s aim is to target Ukraine’s critical infrastructure. Critical infrastructure includes electricity grids, water storage facilities, key supply chains and military command and control centres. Concerned by the troop movement at Ukraine’s border with Belarus, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also called on G7 leaders to support an international monitoring mission on the Belarus-Ukraine border.

President Zelenskyy also urged the G7 leaders to provide Ukraine with more air defence capabilities so that Ukraine can defend itself against Russia’s missile strikes. Zelenskyy also attempted to persuade G7 leaders that they need to impose harsher sanctions on Russia. After the virtual meeting, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said that Russia’s threat of using tactical nukes merits close attention. “The situation does not at all allow any prediction. It requires serious, close attention. For the past 77 years, the world has continued to put a stop to using nuclear weapons. This history of not using nuclear weapons must continue further,” he said. Away from the G7 meeting, NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that NATO is closely monitoring Russia’s nuclear forces.