Japan, Turkey foreign ministers confirm cooperation on Ukraine

By Kazusa Yoda / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

19:03 JST, March 20, 2022

ANTALYA, Turkey — Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi held a meeting with Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in the city of Antalya in southern Turkey on Saturday.

Regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the ministers agreed that Russia’s aggression against Ukraine infringes on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and is a serious violation of international law prohibiting the use of force.

Hayashi also expressed gratitude for the efforts made by Ankara to realize a meeting of the Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers in Turkey.

In a joint press statement following the meeting, Hayashi said, “We will continue to work closely together and cooperate with each other to protect the foundations of the international order.”