Ukrainian Envoy Warns Ceasefire Would Only Help Russia; Seeks Anti-Missile, Large-Scale Demining Equipment

By Yuka Kumakura / Japan News Staff Writer

16:59 JST, February 27, 2024

A ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine will not bring Ukraine permanent peace; it will just benefit Russia by giving it time to rearm, Ukrainian Ambassador Sergiy Korsunsky said at a press conference in Tokyo on Tuesday.

Noting the widespread speculation and suggestions that it might be time to negotiate a ceasefire as Russia’s aggression enters its third year, Korsunsky stressed: “A ceasefire is just a break in time of war. It’s not a solution. It will not bring permanent peace. It will only give Russia time to rearm.”

Referring to a recent poll in Ukraine, Korsunsky said that an “absolute majority of Ukrainians are willing to fight. We are not going to give them [Russia] territories in exchange for a ceasefire.”

The first Japan-Ukraine Conference for Promotion of Economic Growth and Reconstruction was convened in Tokyo by the Japanese government on Feb. 19 to discuss Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction efforts. At Tuesday’s press conference, the ambassador said it was “extremely important to show to the world that one of the major G7 countries is ready to begin thinking about the future reconstruction [of Ukraine].”

He also said the conference had given Ukrainians hope that Japan believes in Ukraine’s reconstruction.

Ukraine has been seeking antimissile and anti-drone equipment from Japan. The ambassador underlined that these types of equipment are “designed to protect humans,” and that he believes Japan providing it to Ukraine would not contradict Article 9 of the Constitution.

“We believe that antimissile defense and anti-drone equipment is a humanitarian aid that protects civilian infrastructure, ports, energy infrastructure and hospitals against Russian attacks with missiles and drones,” the ambassador said.

Korsunsky also said his country is seeking demining equipment from Japan that would enable extensive demining operations.

“We have an enormous amount of mines in our territory. We have no time to go from mine to mine. Japan has such equipment [capable of achieving it]. This is demining to save lives,” he said.