Tokyo, March 22 – Prime Minister Kishida Fumio met with Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelenski in Kiev on his first trip to Ukraine since the Japanese leader came to power in October 2021.

At the meeting on Tuesday during an unannounced trip, Kishida expressed Japan’s “unconditional solidarity” with Ukraine and pledged an additional $30 million in aid for non-lethal equipment.

Kishida also invited Zelenski to the Group of Seven summit he will chair in Hiroshima in May. The Ukrainian president will attend that meeting via the Internet.

Kishida is the latest G-7 leader to visit Ukraine since the Russian invasion began in February 2022, after U.S. President Joe Biden made a surprise trip to Kiev last month. Kishida visited the country at the same time Chinese President Xi Jinping was on a visit to Russia.

According to media reports and other sources, Kishida announced additional aid worth $470 million to help Ukraine in energy and other areas.

Prime Minister Kishida meets with Zelenski on his first visit to Kiev

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