Japan and Ukraine sign deal for long-term support at G7

FASANO, Italy (Kyodo) -- Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed an agreement for Tokyo to provide long-term support for Kyiv amid Russia's prolonged war against its neighbor as they met in Italy on Thursday, Japan's government said.

The 10-year deal stipulates that Japan and Ukraine will hold consultations within 24 hours of any future invasion by Russia to discuss practical assistance, referring to Tokyo's commitment to Kyiv's reconstruction, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

Japan has offered support to Ukraine, but it has been limited to nonmilitary assistance due to restrictions on providing weapons under its war-renouncing constitution. Meanwhile, Western countries have supplied various weapons such as missile interceptors, battle tanks and fighter jets.

Kishida and Zelenskyy met on the sidelines of a three-day Group of Seven summit in Fasano in southern Italy through Saturday. It is the second consecutive year that Zelenskyy has been invited to attend the G7 summit in person as a guest.

The agreement between Japan and Ukraine followed a joint declaration by the G7 leaders issued in July 2023, in which they promised to work with Ukraine "on specific, bilateral, long-term security commitments" and other supportive measures.

Since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Japan and other G7 members as well as like-minded nations have condemned the aggression while boosting support for Kyiv and imposing strict economic sanctions on Moscow.

In February, Japan hosted a conference in Tokyo on the reconstruction of Ukraine, pledging 15.8 billion yen ($100 million) in grant aid to help with the restoration of electricity and other energy