A deliberate attempt to intimidate and escalate tensions — in Ukraine, Putin’s visit to the Japanese island of Iturup was called a provocation
Kyiv • UNN
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned Putin’s visit to Iturup, calling it a provocation. He emphasized that Japan’s sovereignty over the Northern Territories is unwavering.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called Russian dictator Vladimir Putin's visit to the Japanese island of Iturup "a deliberate attempt to intimidate, heighten tensions and normalize the illegal occupation." According to him, Ukraine's position is unwavering — Japan's sovereignty over the Northern Territories is based on historical facts and international law, reports UNN.
Putin's provocative visit to the Japanese island of Iturup demonstrates utter disrespect for Japan and is a deliberate attempt to intimidate, heighten tensions and normalize the illegal occupation. However, no provocative visits can change reality: Iturup is part of Japan's Northern Territories, occupied by Russia. We believe that Putin's visit to Etorofu also proves that Moscow understands only the language of force. The aggressive Russian regime neither values nor respects constructive steps, nor does it reciprocate them
According to him, Ukraine's position is unwavering: Japan's sovereignty over the Northern Territories is based on historical facts and international law. No visit, passage of time or attempt to impose a fait accompli can legitimize the occupation.
Russia applies the same imperial script everywhere. It occupies other countries' territories, militarizes them, threatens its neighbors, and then tries to force the world to perceive the illegal as irreversible. Ukraine knows this script all too well. It must not succeed — either in Europe or in the Pacific region. We express solidarity with Japan and highly value its support for Ukraine. We call on our international partners to clearly condemn Putin's provocative visit, reject any attempts to normalize Russia's occupation, strengthen the aggressor's isolation and increase sanctions pressure
Update
Putin visited Iturup, as reported by Reuters, a day after major naval exercises and a missile launch by North Korea's ally.
Moscow and Tokyo have still not signed an official peace treaty dating from World War II, as the main obstacle was the unresolved territorial dispute over the islands that Japan calls the Northern Territories.
The visit took place after the launch of a ballistic missile by North Korea's ally on Wednesday toward waters near the eastern part of the Korean Peninsula, several days before large-scale joint military exercises by Seoul and Washington, which Pyongyang has long condemned.