(2) In response, Prime Minister Kishida stated that it is his first visit to Rome since 2016 and he is pleased to hold the first summit meeting with Prime Minister Draghi. He stated that Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has undermined the very foundations of the international order, and that the killing of many innocent civilians by Russian troops is absolutely unacceptable, and that Japan would work closely with the G7, including Italy, to impose strong sanctions against Russia and to support Ukraine in order to defend the free and open international order based on the rule of law. The two leaders shared the view that the security of Europe and the Indo-Pacific is inseparable and that unilateral changes to the status quo by force must not be allowed anywhere in the world.
2. Bilateral relations
(1) Prime Minister Kishida welcomed the progress of Japan-Italy security cooperation, including joint exercises between the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Italian Navy in the Gulf of Aden and the training of Japan Air Self-Defense Force pilots by the Italian Air Force. He also valued the document on the Indo-Pacific published by Italy, based on the EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, and the two leaders concurred on promoting cooperation toward the realization of a "Free and Open Indo-Pacific”.