Zelenskyy visits Peace Memorial Park, offers flowers, says there will be reconstruction in ruined Ukrainian city in the future like that of Hiroshima
May 22, 2023
by Michiko Tanaka, Staff Writer
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a press conference at the International Conference Center Hiroshima in Peace Memorial Park in the city’s Naka Ward on May 21, after the Hiroshima Summit of the Group of Seven (G7) industrialized nations closed. He said the landscape of a Ukrainian city that was attacked by Russia looked like that of a picture of Hiroshima he saw when he visited the Peace Memorial Museum. Referring to the occupation of a nuclear power plant by Russia, he called for support, saying the world would become a wreck if the evil and stupidity in Russia’s actions were left unchecked.
Prior to the press conference, he met with A-bomb survivor, Keiko Ogura, 85, in the museum, and lay flowers at the Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims. During the press conference, he referred to one of the exhibits of the museum: The human shadow etched in stone. Part of the stone where a person was sitting remained dark while the rest was turned whitish by heat rays. He said that he came from a country that was in danger of becoming a human shadow stone. He called for the elimination of war from the history of humankind, and said that he dreamed of winning and peace after their victory over Russia.
He expressed his hope that Japan would provide technical assistance in the areas of energy and medicine. He said that, to be frank, he wanted to receive weapons from countries that could provide them, but that he understood the legal restrictions. Referring to Bakhmut, the site of a hard-fought battle in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, he said that there would be reconstruction like that of Hiroshima in the future.
At the Hiroshima summit, Mr. Zelenskyy participated in discussions on Ukraine and also attended an expanded meeting with leaders of the “Global South,” which include emerging and developing nations. Many of these countries, including India and Brazil, are reluctant to criticize Russia, and Mr. Zelensky personally explained his position to them.
Mr. Zelenskyy also met separately with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and U.S. President Joe Biden and other leaders. Ukraine is preparing to launch a large-scale counteroffensive, and he made active diplomatic efforts in seeking cooperation from the leaders.
Mr. Zelenskyy traveled around Europe and the Middle East this month to rally support. After attending an Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia on May 19, he made a surprise visit to Japan on May 20.
(Originally published on May 22, 2023)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a press conference at the International Conference Center Hiroshima in Peace Memorial Park in the city’s Naka Ward on May 21, after the Hiroshima Summit of the Group of Seven (G7) industrialized nations closed. He said the landscape of a Ukrainian city that was attacked by Russia looked like that of a picture of Hiroshima he saw when he visited the Peace Memorial Museum. Referring to the occupation of a nuclear power plant by Russia, he called for support, saying the world would become a wreck if the evil and stupidity in Russia’s actions were left unchecked.
Prior to the press conference, he met with A-bomb survivor, Keiko Ogura, 85, in the museum, and lay flowers at the Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims. During the press conference, he referred to one of the exhibits of the museum: The human shadow etched in stone. Part of the stone where a person was sitting remained dark while the rest was turned whitish by heat rays. He said that he came from a country that was in danger of becoming a human shadow stone. He called for the elimination of war from the history of humankind, and said that he dreamed of winning and peace after their victory over Russia.
He expressed his hope that Japan would provide technical assistance in the areas of energy and medicine. He said that, to be frank, he wanted to receive weapons from countries that could provide them, but that he understood the legal restrictions. Referring to Bakhmut, the site of a hard-fought battle in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, he said that there would be reconstruction like that of Hiroshima in the future.
At the Hiroshima summit, Mr. Zelenskyy participated in discussions on Ukraine and also attended an expanded meeting with leaders of the “Global South,” which include emerging and developing nations. Many of these countries, including India and Brazil, are reluctant to criticize Russia, and Mr. Zelensky personally explained his position to them.
Mr. Zelenskyy also met separately with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and U.S. President Joe Biden and other leaders. Ukraine is preparing to launch a large-scale counteroffensive, and he made active diplomatic efforts in seeking cooperation from the leaders.
Mr. Zelenskyy traveled around Europe and the Middle East this month to rally support. After attending an Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia on May 19, he made a surprise visit to Japan on May 20.
(Originally published on May 22, 2023)
