Kishida Pledges Continued Support for Ukraine

Tokyo, Aug. 29 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida slammed Russia's invasion of Ukraine and pledged continued support for Ukraine in a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday. Zelenskyy expressed gratitude over Japan's support for Ukraine in the roughly 20-minute talks, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry. The two leaders agreed to continue close coordination. The Ukrainian leader expressed a readiness to start talks with Japan as early as possible to conclude a bilateral security treaty, according to the Ukrainian presidential office. Zelenskyy praised the Group of Seven major democracies for pledging their continued security assistance to Ukraine in a statement issued at a summit in the western Japan city of Hiroshima in May. He said that now is the time for Japan and Ukraine to conclude a bilateral security treaty in the context of the G-7 statement, according to the Ukrainian presidential office. It was the first phone meeting between Kishida and Zelenskyy since June. The two leaders last met in person at the G-7 summit. END