Zelenskyy asks Kishida to visit Ukraine

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:21 JST, January 7, 2023

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday asked Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to visit his country during phone talks that lasted about 30 minutes.

Regarding the proposed visit, Kishida told reporters at the Prime Minister’s Office: “At the current stage, nothing has been decided. But I want to consider [the visit] based on various situations.”

Since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, the leaders of Group of Seven countries Britain, Canada, Germany, France and Italy have visited Kyiv. U.S. President Joe Biden met with Zelenskyy in Washington in December.

As Russian forces are continuing attacks on Kyiv and other areas of Ukraine, it could be a challenge to ensure Kishida’s safety if he visits the country.