Maria Zakharova. Photo: Mikhail Metzel / TASS
Russia issued a strongly worded statement against Japan, threatening “tough measures” in case of any involvement of Tokyo in military support for Ukraine. After Japan announced possible cooperation with the NATO command coordinating military assistance to Kyiv, the Russian Foreign Ministry said it would be regarded as an “act of hostility”. According to RosZmі.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stressed that Japan’s provision of weapons or even participation in training the Ukrainian military is tantamount to direct aggression against Russia. She said that such actions “would cause serious damage to Japan’s most sensitive interests”.
The reason for the Kremlin’s sharp reaction was the statement by Japanese Defence Minister Gen Nakatani that the country was ready to join the NATO headquarters in Wiesbaden, Germany, which coordinates the supply of weapons to Ukraine.
This escalation exacerbates the already tense relations between Moscow and Tokyo, which have not signed a peace treaty since World War II. Against this backdrop, the Kremlin has officially confirmed that “no negotiations with Japan are currently underway”, accusing Tokyo of “fully joining the hostile policy of the West”.
Russia also accuses Japan of “remilitarisation” and involvement in the conflict over Ukraine, which, according to the Kremlin, “undermines security in the region”.
