Ukraine ready to jointly produce drones with Japan: foreign minister
"Now we are the leaders in the world in producing drones...We are ready to share, with Japan, our experience, and to cooperate in producing, for example, drones" that will be "mutually beneficial," Sybiha said in an interview with Kyodo News in Tokyo.
Referring to the "sensitive sphere" of Japan's strict rules on weapons transfers under its pacifist Constitution, he suggested that the types of drones considered for such cooperation could range "from agricultural purposes to intelligence."
Since Russia launched its war on Ukraine in February 2022, Tokyo has supported Kyiv in step with other Group of Seven industrialized nations while maintaining economic sanctions on Moscow.
Sybiha, who succeeded Dmytro Kuleba as foreign minister in September, said Ukraine will take a "fair approach" by denying countries that support Russia access to its reconstruction efforts, which could offer business opportunities.
In a veiled reference to countries like China and India that continue to buy Russian crude oil, the foreign minister called on "all countries" to stop importing the energy resource from Moscow, saying it allows the country to earn "blood money."
As for China, Sybiha said Beijing can "play a bigger role" in finding a peaceful solution to the prolonged war and has "such capacities," expressing hope that the Asian power will "support a cease-fire."
On Monday, Sybiha attended a forum on the Asian nation's cooperation in rebuilding the war-torn country, where 29 collaboration agreements were signed across a wide range of areas. He also met with his counterpart, Takeshi Iwaya.
At the talks, Iwaya said Japan will push Ukraine's efforts to realize a "just and lasting peace," while Sybiha said Kyiv will further strengthen collaboration with Tokyo as the Russian war is "affecting the Indo-Pacific region," the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.
On Tuesday, Sybiha will visit the venue for the World Exposition in Osaka in western Japan along with other visiting top Ukrainian officials.
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