Russia must be 'held accountable for its atrocities' in Ukraine: Japanese Foreign Minister

With the crisis in Ukraine now in its third month and showing no signs of diminishing, Japan and Ukraine's foreign ministers agreed Friday that the international community should remain unified in maintaining severe sanctions against Russia for its invasion of the Eastern European country.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said, during talks with his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, in Weissenhaus, northern Germany, that Russia must be "held accountable for its atrocities," calling its actions "unacceptable," according to a press release from the Japanese Foreign Ministry. Their talks came as the Group of Seven nations increased pressure on Moscow. The G7 nations have tightened economic sanctions and pledged to reduce their reliance on Russian energy resources.

According to the Ministry, Kuleba told Hayashi that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appreciates Japan's recent decision to phase out Russian oil imports. Hayashi also met separately with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, whose country currently serves as the G7 rotating chair. The two agreed that the security of Europe and the Indo-Pacific area are inextricably linked and that any attempt to change the status quo unilaterally by force is unacceptable anywhere in the globe.

Next year, Japan will assume leadership of the G7. Ukraine, Moldova, and Indonesia have been invited to participate in discussions at the G7 foreign ministers' meeting. Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States make up the G7, along with the European Union.

Russia-Ukraine War

The war between Russia and Ukraine is now in its 80th day, with Russia stepping up its onslaught in eastern and southern Ukraine. Meanwhile, a $40 billion aid package for Kyiv has been approved by the US House of Representatives. Additionally, United Nations human rights panel is investigating Moscow for alleged human rights violations committed by its troops in Ukraine's northeastern regions. On the other hand, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused the UN of failing to find a political solution to Ukraine's crisis.

Further, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the battle in Kyiv will finish only when Russian soldiers have returned all of the occupied areas. According to Serhiy Haidai, the Governor of the Luhansk Oblast, Russian bombardment has so far destroyed over 50 homes in the region. He went on to add that the towns of Hirske and Popasna were devastated.

(With agency inputs, Image: AP)