President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba discussed Russia’s cooperation with North Korea and Iran, which poses a real threat not only to Europe but to the entire world, including the Southeast Asian region.
As reported by Ukrinform, this was stated by the press service of the President of Ukraine.
During the meeting, Zelensky thanked Japan and the Japanese people for their unwavering support of Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s aggression.
“We have suffered major strikes against our people, first and foremost against civilian infrastructure, and the energy system. What happened last night – 440 Iranian Shahed drones – is yet another example of Russia’s conduct. I want to thank you for supporting the security of our energy system, for the humanitarian aid, and for the strong support packages for the Ukrainian people,” Zelensky said.
According to the Japanese Prime Minister, Japan has already provided over $12 billion in assistance. He added that this month, Japan and Ukraine signed an agreement to allocate $3.3 billion to Ukraine, funded by interest earned on frozen Russian assets.
“Japan’s position remains unchanged and unwavering: a just and lasting peace must be established in Ukraine as soon as possible. We will continue to work closely with the international community and the G7 to support Ukraine’s efforts,” Shigeru Ishiba emphasized.
The statement noted that “President Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Ishiba share a common view: to force Russia into peace, pressure must be increased and tougher sanctions imposed.”
Zelensky briefed his counterpart on Ukraine’s key defense needs to protect Ukrainian lives from Russian missile and drone strikes.
The two sides also discussed cooperation in the defense industry and the possibility of direct Japanese investment in Ukrainian drone production.
Additionally, they addressed Ukraine’s reconstruction program and Japan’s interest in participating in post-war recovery projects.
As reported by Ukrinform, the G7 summit took place in Canada, where Zelensky was scheduled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump. However, the U.S. President left the summit early to respond to the crisis in the Middle East.
Overnight on June 18, it became known that Zelensky would also leave Canada early due to Russian strikes on Ukraine and Trump’s refusal to hold the meeting.
Photo credit: Office of the President of Ukraine
Source: Ukraine, Japan strengthen security ties amid growing Russia–North Korea cooperation
