The first round of negotiations with Japan on a bilateral agreement on security guarantees has begun, as envisaged by the Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine, according to the website of the Ukrainian presidential office.
The Ukrainian negotiating team was headed by a deputy head of the presidential office, Ihor Zhovkva. It also included another deputy head of the presidential office, Roman Mashovets, Deputy Foreign Minister Mykola Tochytskyy, and an adviser to the head of the presidential office, Oleksandr Bevz.
Japan is the fourth country with which Ukraine has started negotiations after the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.
"The start of bilateral consultations with Japan is not only a confirmation of our strategic partnership, but also a demonstration of global support for Ukraine, which goes far beyond Europe and North America. It is symbolic that Japan started bilateral talks on security guarantees with Ukraine during its presidency of the Group of Seven," Zhovkva said.
These bilateral guarantees for Ukraine are a continuation of the significant non-lethal, security, humanitarian and financial assistance that Japan has been providing to our country since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion. An integral part of security guarantees is also assistance in Ukraine's economic recovery, which will be further discussed during the Ukraine Recovery Conference scheduled for early next year in Japan.
The parties agreed to further coordinate and agreed on a plan for bilateral talks by the end of this year.