Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine for European Integration Oleksandr Balanutsa held talks with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Ukraine Matsuda Kuninori. The parties discussed the recently signed agreement on support for Ukraine and further cooperation.

“We are grateful to Japan for its political and economic support to Ukraine. It is important for us to maintain partnerships with the countries of the East. Japan is also a member of the demining coalition and the IT coalition – we look forward to your active participation and the transfer of any possible equipment,” said Oleksandr Balanutsa.

During the meeting, the Ukrainian and Japanese sides also discussed the importance of Ukraine’s participation in the Shangri-La Dialogue. Ambassador Matsuda Kuninori stressed the significance of the participation of the President of Ukraine in this year’s forum.

The Ambassador of Japan also noted that although Japan was not a NATO member, it supported Ukraine’s path towards Euro-Atlantic integration. At the same time, Oleksandr Balanutsa stressed that Ukraine’s accession to the EU and NATO was primarily about standards and values, and not about relying on someone else’s protection.

The Ukrainian side also expressed gratitude to the Eastern partners for their assistance in the rehabilitation of the Ukrainian military and stressed the need to increase the volume of this assistance, given the intensity of the hostilities.