Ishiba Seeks Continued U.S. Involvement in Ukraine; Warns Against Letting Russia See Democracies Divided

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:22 JST, March 4, 2025

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Monday he believed that continued U.S. involvement was crucial for Ukraine and that he would strive for that to happen in the wake of the sudden breakdown in talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Ishiba also called for unity among the Group of Seven nations, which includes four European countries.

“Without the United States’ involvement, will this [Russia’s aggression against Ukraine] really end?” Ishiba said at a House of Representatives Budget Committee meeting when asked about the breakdown of the recent U.S.-Ukraine summit meeting in the White House.

The remark highlights Ishiba’s belief that the backing of the United States is essential for a ceasefire. He then added, “I want to work hard to keep the United States involved.”

After the breakdown, European countries and others came to the defense of Zelenskyy, distancing themselves from the United States in ways such as by putting together a plan to send a peacekeeping force to Ukraine after a ceasefire.

“Most of all, the G7 must remain united,” Ishiba said, calling for cooperation between the United States and Europe.

At the same time, Ishiba stressed that he had “no intention of taking either sides” between the United States and Ukraine. He seemed to believe that allowing Russia to see division among Japan, the United States and Europe is not a good idea. He will likely observe how each country responds in the future.

A senior Foreign Ministry official said, “It is not productive to judge which side — the United States or Ukraine — is right in promoting ceasefire negotiations.”

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi also told reporters Monday that he saw the breakdown as “a step in the process of breaking through the difficult situation.”

Japan, meanwhile, has felt a sense of crisis that a ceasefire could be reached in a way that would allow Russia to change the status quo by force, an outcome that could provoke a similar situation over Taiwan, where China is increasing its pressure.

Ishiba said Monday at the meeting, “We must think about how to make our deterrent capability effective in the Taiwan Strait.”