Situation in Bakhmut, Soledar is ‘hottest, most painful,’ Ukrainian president says about ongoing war with Russia

By Zehra Nur Duz

ANKARA (AA) - Ukraine’s president said Saturday that the heaviest fighting has taken place in Bakhmut and Soledar in the Donetsk region during his country’s ongoing war with Russia.

“In Donetsk region – Bakhmut, Soledar – now, as before, it's the hottest, most painful. We do everything to help our boys in this direction. Our heroes who are holding the defense there. Everyone there deserves the highest gratitude!,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video message.

Regarding the recent decision to limit the export price of Russian oil to $60, Zelenskyy said talks unfortunately ended “without big decisions.”

“The logic is obvious: if the price limit for Russian oil is $60 instead of, for example, $30, which Poland and the Baltic countries talked about, then the Russian budget will receive about 100 billion dollars a year,” he said.

EU countries agreed Friday on a $60 per barrel price cap for Russian crude oil exports transported by sea. They were joined by G7 states and Australia.

The move aims to hit Moscow’s revenues from crude oil exports and sales as the Ukraine war approaches 2023 -- its second calendar year.

The agreement takes effect Monday, when the EU will begin cutting off crude supplies from Russia by sea.

The parties will ensure that the Russian price cap is set at least 5% below the market price of crude oil, and G7 countries will ban their shipping companies from facilitating Russian oil shipments if they are sold for more than $60 a barrel.

The Kremlin said Saturday that Russia “will not accept” the price cap imposed by the EU and G7 countries on its oil exports.