Press Conference by Prime Minister Kishida Regarding His Attendance at the Upcoming G7 Apulia Summit and the Summit on Peace in Ukraine

[Provisional translation]

(On what kinds of outcomes Prime Minister Kishida aims to achieve at the G7 Apulia Summit and on whether or not Prime Minister Kishida is scheduled to hold a summit meeting on the sidelines with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine; on how Japan intends to provide support for Ukraine after the Summit on Peace in Ukraine that Prime Minister Kishida is scheduled to attend)
 
From now, I will head to Italy and Switzerland to attend the G7 Apulia Summit and the Summit on Peace in Ukraine. At the G7 Apulia Summit, I will engage in discussions based on the outcomes of last year's G7 Hiroshima Summit, also placing importance on such points as upholding and reinforcing the free and open international order based on the rule of law and working in cooperation with the Global South and other partners beyond the G7. In any case, I intend to make this an opportunity to demonstrate our stance that the G7 will lead the discussions on how to address the various challenges facing the international community.
 
I will be holding bilateral talks with Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada and Prime Minister Modi of India, among others, and as of this moment, a meeting with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine is still being coordinated. I wish to make a meeting with President Zelenskyy, and moreover talks such as the G7 Apulia Summit and the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, into opportunities to demonstrate the stance of supporting, as the international community, measures addressing the Ukraine situation that will help to bring about a just and lasting peace. In light of that, I intend to confirm our cooperation with other countries.
 
As for our future response to the situation in Ukraine, Japan will maintain its position of imposing severe sanctions against Russia while providing powerful support for Ukraine, in cooperation with the G7 and other like-minded countries.