Japanese FM initiates historic talks in Kyiv, paving way for bilateral security agreement with Ukraine
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, on an official visit to Kyiv, met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Denis Shmyhal to bilateral security guarantee agreement for Ukraine.
During their meeting, Hayashi and President Zelenskyy mutually agreed to initiate negotiations concerning a security guarantee agreement.
Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude, saying, “I’m thankful to Japan for being a key partner in Asia, and supporting Ukraine.”
Before this pivotal meeting, Hayashi also held discussions with Prime Minister Shmyhal and representatives from prominent Japanese companies in Ukraine. The conversations revolved around enhancing Japanese-Ukrainian cooperation in business and investment.
Japanese entrepreneurs presented specific collaborative projects, with a focus on telecommunications, infrastructure, and healthcare.
The talks also delved into potential collaborations in housing reconstruction, global food security, support for small and medium-sized enterprises, and humanitarian demining efforts.
Read also: Japan to provide $7 billion in aid to Ukraine — PM Kishida
Prime Minister Shmyhal extended his gratitude to Japan for its steadfast support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, financial and humanitarian aid, as well as its sanctions against Russia.
Hayashi reiterated Japan’s commitment to supporting Ukraine, strengthening anti-Russian sanctions, and assisting Ukraine during the upcoming winter season.
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Japan also pledged to provide Ukraine with 24 demining cranes.
Hayashi also visited the memorial in Bucha, Kyiv Oblast, dedicated to the victims of Russian army mass murders of civilians in the town in February and March 2022, the Japanese embassy reported.
This visit by Hayashi to Ukraine, which began on Sept. 9, was announced on the same day of his arrival.
It marks the first visit by a Japanese foreign minister to Ukraine since the commencement of the full-scale conflict. In March of this year, Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited Ukraine.
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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
