Prime minister expresses ‘grave concern’ about possible Russian invasion in call with Putin
Japan is watching the situation around Ukraine with “grave concern” about the possibility of a Russian invasion, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday.
In a phone call, Kishida urged Putin to “pursue a solution through diplomatic negotiations that all countries involved can accept,” rather than “change the status quo through force,” the prime minister told reporters afterward.
The latter course “would send the wrong message to Asia and the international community as a whole,” Kishida said. He did not say whether he mentioned sanctions as a possible response.
Tensions remain high, with reports of shelling in breakaway regions of Ukraine. The White House has called Moscow’s claims that its forces have returned to base after exercises near the Ukrainian border “false.”
Group of Seven foreign ministers are slated to hold an emergency meeting Saturday, and planning is underway for a virtual summit soon. The bloc aims to coordinate its response to Russia as Moscow has signaled it is willing to continue dialogue.
Thursday’s call marked the first phone conversation between Kishida and Putin since last October. On the Japanese side, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi was present for the 25-minute call, during which Putin explained Moscow’s position.
Earlier, Kishida spoke with lawmakers in his ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
“We are in this tense situation where anything can happen,” Kishida said on Thursday in a meeting of his LDP faction. “Japan must strive to ease tensions through diplomatic means.”
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“We must consider the possibility that if we tolerate the use of force to change the status quo, it will have an impact on Asia as well,” the prime minister continued, hinting at worries China could feel emboldened to ramp up pressure on Taiwan and around the Indo-Pacific region if Russia invades Ukraine.
Kishida spoke by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday, telling reporters the two had agreed to make strong diplomatic efforts to ease tensions with Russia.
Kishida told them Japan supports Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, adding that Tokyo will take “appropriate” action in dealing with the situation, while cooperating with the Group of Seven industrialized nations.
