Tokyo, 1 March, /AJMEDIA/
Leaders of the United States, the European Union, Japan and other countries affirmed during a phone call Monday their resolve for the international community to unite to impose powerful sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
With Russian President Vladimir Putin putting his nuclear forces on high alert, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, representing the only country to have suffered nuclear attacks, told his counterparts that any threat or use of nuclear force is unacceptable, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.
U.S. President Joe Biden initiated the talks, which also involved Britain, Germany and countries bordering Ukraine such as Poland, at a time when U.S. allies and partners are stepping up their efforts to jointly punish Russia through economic and other sanctions.
The participants agreed that Russia’s invasion seriously violates international law prohibiting the use of force in such a manner and vowed to continue to support the Ukraine government as well as refugees fleeing the country.
Kishida said Russia’s behavior is not just shaking the security of Europe but “the whole international order,” and called for clearly showing the “costs” of attempting to change the status quo by force.
“It is important that all members of the international community firmly respond to Russia’s acts,” he was quoted as saying.
Japan is concerned about China’s assertiveness in the region, including its territorial claims in nearby waters and toward Taiwan, a self-ruled democratic island which Beijing views as a renegade province to be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary.
