Japan-Ukraine Summit Meeting (Summary)

[Provisional translation]

On May 21, commencing at 6:20 p.m. for approximately 50 minutes, Mr. KISHIDA Fumio, Prime Minister of Japan, held a Summit Meeting with H.E. Mr. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, who is visiting Japan to attend some of the sessions of the G7 Hiroshima Summit. The overview of the meeting is as follows.

1. Outcomes of the G7 Hiroshima Summit

   (1) Prime Minister Kishida welcomed President Zelenskyy and extended his wholehearted appreciation to the President for visiting Hiroshima and attending the G7 Hiroshima Summit amid the challenging circumstances of the war. Additionally, Prime Minister Kishida conveyed his gratitude to President Zelenskyy for laying a wreath at the Cenotaph for the Atomic Bomb Victims at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and visiting the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Prime Minister Kishida stated that Russia’s nuclear threat, let alone its use of nuclear weapons, are unacceptable, and that the laying of wreaths at the Cenotaph at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park with President Zelenskyy has important significance in the efforts to achieve a world without nuclear weapons. In response, President Zelenskyy stated that the laying of wreaths at the Cenotaph at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park with Prime Minister Kishida is greatly honorable. He further stated that the wreath-laying and the visit to the Museum deepened his recognition of the vast destruction brought about by wars and nuclear weapons, and he reconfirmed that wars cannot be allowed.

   (2) Prime Minister Kishida reiterated his appreciation for the full support he received from the Ukrainian side during his visit to Ukraine in March, and for the warm welcome extended by President Zelenskyy despite the circumstances of the war. In response, President Zelenskyy reiterated his gratitude to Prime Minister Kishida for visiting Ukraine in March despite the circumstances of the war, as well as his appreciation for the invitation to attend the G7 Hiroshima Summit in person for the first time.

   (3) Prime Minister Kishida stated that, at this year’s G7 Hiroshima Summit, the G7 leaders were more united than ever and reconfirmed that it is essential to strongly support Ukraine in all aspects and continue severe sanctions against Russia. In addition, Prime Minister Kishida stated that the G7 members and other invited countries confirmed that unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force are unacceptable anywhere in the world and that it is important to maintaining a free and open international order based on the rule of law.

   (4) In response, President Zelenskyy expressed his great appreciation for Prime Minister Kishida’s support for Ukraine and stated he highly appreciates Prime Minister Kishida’s leadership at the Hiroshima Summit, especially his invitation of the countries of the Global South. Moreover, and President Zelenskyy stated that the G7 Leaders’ Statement on Ukraine was great meaningful and he would like to further cooperate with Japan.

2. Assistance to Ukraine

   (1) Prime Minister Kishida conveyed Japan’s intention to newly provide around 100 Self-Defense Force vehicles such as a truck and approximately 30,000 emergency rations to Ukraine, based on the request from the Ukrainian side, as well as Japan’s decision to accept injured Ukrainian soldiers at the Self-Defense Forces Central Hospital for the first time. Furthermore, Prime Minister Kishida explained that the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) has decided to insure approximately 93 billion yen’s worth of Samurai bonds that Poland will issue for assistance to people displaced from Ukraine, and expressed Japan’s intention to actively provide such multifaceted assistance.

   (2) In addition, Prime Minister Kishida expressed Japan’s intention to steadily implement assistance totaling 7.6 billion U.S. dollars that it has announced to date, and to strongly support the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine through the joint efforts of the Japanese public and private sectors, while also utilizing the recently established Council on Preparation for Promotion of Ukraine’s Economic Reconstruction.

   (3) In response, President Zelenskyy expressed his deep gratitude for Japan’s strong support for Ukraine to date as well as for the newly announced assistance, and the two leaders exchanged views on future assistance for Ukraine, and the nature of the country’s recovery and reconstruction.

3. Future Coordination and Cooperation

   (1) Prime Minister Kishida expressed Japan’s intention to further expand and deepen cooperation with Ukraine based on the Joint Statement on the Special Global Partnership between Japan and Ukraine announced during his visit to Ukraine in March, and Japan’s intention to exercise its leadership as the G7 Presidency based on the outcomes of the G7 Hiroshima Summit and his meeting with President Zelenskyy today.

   (2) In response, President Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude for the invitation to the Summit and Japan’s support to date, and the two leaders shared the view to coordinate even more closely.