Tokyo, 23 February 2023 (GNP): Japan has pledged $5.5 billion in aid to Ukraine as part of its commitment to support the country’s efforts to combat Russian aggression. The aid package, which was announced on Monday, includes a range of measures aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s economy, security, and social infrastructure.
This humanitarian aid is almost four times what Tokyo pledged to Kyiv following Russia’s invasion of its neighbor over a year ago.
Japan’s Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, stated on Monday that, “Japan is in a position to lead the world’s efforts to support Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression and to uphold a free and open international order based on the rule of law”.
At a speech last summer, Kishida warned that “Ukraine today may be East Asia tomorrow” and he repeated that sentiment on Monday.
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He said, “Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is not just a European matter, but a challenge to the rules and principles of the entire international community”.
Following the first anniversary of Moscow’s invasion, Kishida also made an announcement on Monday about hosting an online meeting of G7 leaders with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday before the yearly G7 summit in Hiroshima in May.
Shunichi Suzuki, the finance minister of Japan, will preside over this G7 gathering. Support for Ukraine and sanctions against Russia, according to Suzuki, will be the central topics of discussion.
“We will continue to closely coordinate with G7 and the international community to enhance the effect of sanctions to achieve the ultimate goal of prompting Russia to withdraw”, he said in a news conference.
Fumio Kishida blamed Russian activities as the catalyst of the rising nuclear threats the world is currently confronting. “It is important to convey the reality of the atomic bombings to the world, including the G7 leaders, as the starting point for all efforts toward nuclear disarmament”, he added.
The aid package is expected to strengthen the relationship between Japan and Ukraine and contribute to the international community’s efforts to address the ongoing conflict in the region.
