Zelenskyy invites Japan's new prime minister to Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (photo: Office of the President)
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held his first conversation with Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The parties discussed strengthening cooperation in the field of security, according to the statement by the Ukrainian leader.
"Excellent conversation with Prime Minister of Japan Sanae Takaichi. And I thank her for the support for our people, for the respect for the courage of Ukrainians," the president noted.
He said that he congratulated the Prime Minister on the beginning of her work in office.
"We discussed how we can combine our efforts so that there is more security and development for both our peoples and our regions. We are grateful to Japan for its unwavering assistance and principled stance throughout the entire time since the beginning of the Russian invasion," he said.
Zelenskyy noted that during the conversation, they found that they share the same understanding of the dangers posed by Russia's war to everyone in the world, and are ready to work together to develop the strongest technologies to protect lives, considering the changes and challenges brought by this war.
"I informed the Prime Minister about our intentions to develop controlled arms exports and build strong partnerships for joint production of modern weapons capable of protecting our friends from threats," the president added.
He also informed Takaichi about the need to strengthen air defense to protect lives in cities and our energy infrastructure, which is the primary target for Russia.
"We greatly appreciate the willingness of Japan and the Prime Minister to help us in the energy sector with the necessary equipment. This will help our cities and communities this winter. Of course, we are also interested in increasing cooperation with Japan for reconstruction and recovery," he emphasized.
Zelenskyy noted that he also informed the Prime Minister about the diplomatic situation and the possibilities of applying adequate pressure on Russia to compel it to engage in genuine diplomacy and to end the war.
"I invited the Prime Minister to visit Ukraine. I am confident that Ukraine and Japan have even greater potential for cooperation than we currently have. And we strongly hope for joint results. Thank you!" he concluded.
This year, for the first time in Japan's history, a woman became head of government. Conservative Sanae Takaichi won the leadership race in the Liberal Democratic Party despite predictions favoring her opponent.
The Japanese Prime Minister has already surprised US President Donald Trump with a gift in the style of Shinzo Abe.
