Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Japan has agreed to provide $4.5 billion in aid to Ukraine this year as part of a 10-year security deal signed by the two countries on Thursday.
The agreement significantly increases Japan’s support for Ukraine at a critical moment in its war with Russia and underscores Japan’s efforts to strengthen security and diplomatic ties with Europe once a full-scale conflict begins in 2022.
“This type of agreement and this level of support is a breakthrough for Japan,” Zelensky said on social media. “We see this and are grateful for Japan’s unwavering solidarity.”
Zelensky said Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida signed the agreement as leaders gathered at the G7 summit to discuss other plans to support Ukraine.
Zelensky said the Ukraine-Japan agreement includes commitments for defense support, humanitarian assistance and technical cooperation.
Mr Kishida said in a statement earlier this week that Japan would “do its utmost to ensure” a return to peace in Ukraine.
Ukraine signed several similar agreements with wealthy countries during the war.
In December, Japan outlined a commitment to provide $1 billion in aid to Ukraine and said it was willing to increase support to $4.5 billion later.
“The scale of engagement is escalating,” Daniel Snyder, a lecturer in East Asian studies at Stanford University, said of Japan. “They want to be in lockstep with NATO. This is a big thing in Japan.
Separately, President Joe Biden is expected to sign a 10-year U.S. security deal with Ukraine on Thursday, the first day of a three-day Group of Seven summit in Italy.
Leaders of the Group of Seven countries including Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States also agreed to provide Ukraine with a $50 billion loan to help it purchase weapons and restore infrastructure.
