Moscow, 18 February 2022 (TDI): Telephonic conversation has been held between the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, and Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida. Both conducted a summit phone call in an affable environment on the course of Ukraine issue for approximately 25 minutes.

In response to the Prime Minister of Japan’s interest, Russia’s President gave insights into his discussions with the United States and its NATO allies regarding the initiative to develop long-term and legally binding security guarantees for Russia.

Furthermore, Vladimir Putin spoke in-depth on the origins and causes of the internal Ukrainian crisis, as well as Russia’s realistic approach to resolving it in accordance with the Minsk Package of Measures and the decisions adopted in the Normandy Format.

Both leaders reviewed the Russian-Japanese ties and underlined their shared desire in their constructive development based on existing accords, notably in trade and the economy. Both leaders promised to remain to keep in touch for the future.

Core Conflict

Ukraine, which had been a part of the Russian empire for centuries before becoming the Soviet Republic, gained independence when the Soviet Union disintegrated in 1991. It strove to shed its Russian imperial legacies and build closer connections with the West.

A decision by Ukrainian President, Viktor Yanukovych to reject an association agreement with the European Union in favor of closer relations with Moscow sparked major demonstrations that resulted in his ouster as President in 2014.

Russia retaliated by ceding Ukraine’s the Crimean Peninsula. Ukraine and the West accused Russia of deploying soldiers and weaponry to support the insurgents. Moscow rejected this, claiming that the Russians who joined the rebels were doing so voluntarily.

According to Kyiv, over 14,000 people have died as a result of the war in Donbas, Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland. For its part, Moscow has harshly criticized the United States and its NATO partners for arming Ukraine and undertaking joint drills, claiming that such actions encourage Ukraine.

Furthermore, Russian President Vladimir Putin has frequently stated that Ukraine’s desire to join NATO is a red line, which is also alarming about some NATO members to establish military training centers in Ukraine. This will give them a military foothold in the region even if Ukraine does not join NATO.

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