News PM Kishida in Kyiv for talks with Zelenskyy

[thomas]

PM Kishida is the last G7 leader to visit Kyiv to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy today. The prime minister arrived in the Ukrainian capital around 19:00 JST, video footage from public broadcaster NHK showed. The visit to Ukraine is Kishida's first since the country was invaded by Russia in February 2022.

Footage captured by Japan's Nippon Television showed Kishida boarding a train at a station in Przemysl, a city in southeastern Poland on the border with Ukraine, at around 9:30 a.m. Japan time. He was escorted by a man who appeared to be a local security guard. "During his visit to Ukraine, Prime Minister Kishida will pay tribute to the courage and perseverance of the Ukrainian people who, under the leadership of President Zelenskyy, have stood up to defend their homeland," the ministry said in a statement. At his summit with Zelenskyy, Kishida will convey the solidarity and unwavering support of Japan and the Group of Seven advanced economies, according to the statement. Japan is serving as chair of the G-7 this year. Kishida will also "firmly reject Russia's aggression and unilateral change of the status quo by force and reaffirm our determination to defend the international order based on the rule of law," the ministry said.

Paywall alert:

Japan PM Kishida arrives in Kyiv for talks with Zelenskyy

Trip demonstrates commitment to war-torn country, foreign ministry says

asia.nikkei.com

NHK showed a video of Kishida arriving in Kyiv by train from Poland:

Japan's Prime Minister Kishida arrives in Kyiv | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

Japan's Prime Minister Kishida Fumio arrived in Ukraine's capital Kyiv on Tuesday for talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It is his first trip to the country since the start of Russia's invasion.

www3.nhk.or.jp

"This historic visit is a sign of solidarity and strong cooperation. … We are grateful to #Japan for its strong support and contribution to our future victory," she wrote. Ahead of his meeting with Zelenskyy, media reports said Kishida visited a mass grave site in Bucha, a city outside Kyiv where Russian troops are accused of massacring civilians, laying a wreath outside a church near the site before observing a moment of silence. "The world was astonished to see innocent civilians in Bucha killed one year ago. I really feel great anger at the atrocity upon visiting that very place here," Kishida said. "I would like to give condolence to the all victims and the wounded on behalf of the Japanese nationals. Japan will keep aiding Ukraine with the greatest effort to regain peace," he added.

Kishida makes surprise visit to Ukraine for talks with Zelenskyy

The Japanese leader, who had been visiting India, arrived in Kyiv on Tuesday afternoon local time for summit talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

www.japantimes.co.jp

 

[Master of Time]

Solidarity and unwavering support...yeah.
There was a Ukrainian flag in a field in my area. Its now gone.
Every time I saw it I wished it had a Russian flag next to it. Plenty of Ukrainians and Russians are married or are in the same family and never wanted this war and agree with none of it. This is like brothers fighting and if there is a good prayer to have its that they go back to being friendly again.

But then there is my eternal prayer....that people start teaching their boys right from wrong, how to say no and how to protect eachother when they do. That they cannot even when operating a tank and holding a gun is pathetic, and we will always have war until we have a populace that can look power in the eye and say "Absolutely not".