Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida traveled Tuesday to Boutcha, a martyr city near Kiev in Ukraine, which has become a symbol of the atrocities of the Russian occupation, as part of his first “historic” visit to Ukraine. Fumio Kishida went to Boutcha by train at the start of the afternoon, shortly after his arrival in Kiev and before his meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky, noted AFP journalists on the spot. His trip to this country at war was described as “historic” by kyiv. “This historic visit is a sign of solidarity and strong cooperation between Ukraine and Japan,” Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Djeppar said on Facebook, posting photos of Fumio Kishida on the train platform in Kiev. .
“We are grateful to Japan for their strong support and contribution to our future victory,” she added. Fumio Kishida has become the first Japanese government leader to visit a war zone since the end of World War II. His visit comes as Chinese President Xi Jinping is in Moscow for a meeting with Vladimir Putin with the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the center of the discussion.
The main information:
- Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida meets Volodymyr Zelensky during a surprise visit. The opportunity for Fumio Kishida to address his respect and support to the Ukrainian people and their president.
- At the same time, Chinese President Xi Jinping is visiting Moscow with Vladimir Putin, with whom maintaining “strategic” relations remains a “priority”.
- An official of the NGO Memorial prosecuted for having “discredited” the Russian army
The summit between Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping begins
Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to the Kremlin on Tuesday for a summit devoted in particular to the conflict in Ukraine and the increasingly close bilateral relations between Beijing and Moscow. According to images broadcast by Russian television channels, Vladimir Putin welcomed Xi Jinping with a frank handshake, then a military band played the anthems of the two countries. After the welcoming ceremony, the two leaders must have official discussions, the day after a first “informal” meeting which lasted more than four hours.
An official of the NGO Memorial prosecuted for having “discredited” the Russian army
Russian authorities have opened a criminal case against Oleg Orlov, one of the figures of the NGO Memorial, accused of having “discredited” the Russian army fighting in Ukraine, the NGO, co-winner of the Nobel Prize for the peace. In a message posted on Telegram, Memorial said Oleg Orlov was being prosecuted for “public activities aimed at discrediting” the Russian armed forces, an article of the criminal code used against critics of the conflict in Ukraine. If charged, he faces a heavy prison sentence.
“Solidarity and unfailing support for Ukraine”
Fumio Kishida must meet Volodymyr Zelensky to convey to him “his respect for the courage and perseverance of the people who defend their homeland under his command, as well as the solidarity and unfailing support for Ukraine from Japan and the G7”, which the Asian country is hosting this year, Japanese diplomacy said in a statement. Fumio Kishida was the only G7 leader yet to have visited Kiev since the Russian invasion launched in February 2022. He was regularly called upon to visit Ukraine. At the end of February 2023, US President Joe Biden also made a surprise media visit to kyiv.
Tokyo has joined Western sanctions against Russia and offered help to Kyiv. In February, Japan announced new aid of 5.5 billion dollars (5.1 billion euros) to Ukraine. Tokyo also sent him defensive equipment and offered to take in refugees from the conflict. Japan, however, did not provide military aid, its pacifist constitution obliging it to limit its military capabilities to defensive measures.
Russia remains a “priority” for Xi Jinping
Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to the Kremlin on Tuesday for a summit devoted in particular to the conflict in Ukraine and the increasingly close bilateral relations between Beijing and Moscow. According to images broadcast by Russian television channels, Vladimir Putin welcomed Xi Jinping with a frank handshake, then a military band played the anthems of the two countries. After the welcoming ceremony, the two leaders must have official discussions, the day after a first “informal” meeting which lasted more than four hours.
Xi Jinping displayed Tuesday in Russia the “priority” he gave to “strategic” relations between Moscow and Beijing, two “great powers”, thus signifying his agreement with Vladimir Putin in the face of Westerners in the midst of conflict in Ukraine. On the second day of his state visit to Russia, Xi Jinping considered that his trip responded to “historical logic”, because “we are the largest neighboring powers and strategic partners at all levels”.
The Chinese president, speaking during a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Michoustin, also said that Beijing “will continue to prioritize the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Russia”, according to comments reported by the Russian news agencies. Xi Jinping, who is due to meet Vladimir Putin on Tuesday after a first meeting on Monday, also said he had invited the Russian president to visit him in China “when he can this year”, despite the arrest warrant issued. last week by the International Criminal Court against the master of the Kremlin.
Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin meet after first interview
The conflict in Ukraine, precisely, will be at the heart of the discussions which are to begin Tuesday around 12 p.m. GMT between Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, after an “informal” meeting on Monday during which they showed their agreement, giving each other, for example, “dear friend”. During this first interview, which lasted more than four hours, Vladimir Putin said he was ready to discuss an initiative from Beijing aimed at stopping this conflict. The Russian president showered his powerful Chinese host with praise, notably hailing his “fair and balanced position on international issues”.
But if China poses as an intermediary in Ukraine, the West judges that Beijing supports Moscow too much to be credible. Washington even accuses the Chinese authorities of considering supplying arms to Russia, which they deny. Others in the West believe that China could take inspiration from the Russian attack in Ukraine to take control of Taiwan. Also Monday, the head of the American diplomacy, Antony Blinken, affirmed that “the world must not be fooled by any tactical decision by Russia, supported by China or any other country, to freeze the conflict (in Ukraine) on his own terms.”
Antony Blinken pointed out that Xi Jinping had visited Russia just three days after the ICC’s arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin, which the American diplomat said suggests that China does not feel the need “to hold the (Russian) President responsible for the atrocities inflicted on Ukraine”. For its part, kyiv, cautious about Chinese intentions, urged Xi Jinping on Monday to “use his influence on Moscow to put an end to the war of aggression”.