Xi Jinping and Putin Summit Begins... Japanese Prime Minister Visits Ukraine

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin began their summit on the 21st (local time). On the same day, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida made an unannounced visit to Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, to show support for the country invaded by Russia.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to Russian state TV and major foreign media, President Xi, who is on a three-day, two-night state visit to Russia starting the previous day, arrived at the Kremlin in the afternoon for the summit. President Xi was greeted by a delegation and walked the red carpet as he entered the meeting hall. The summit is scheduled to proceed in the order of a private meeting between the two leaders, an expanded meeting with delegations present, a signing ceremony, joint statement announcement, and a banquet.

During this summit, the two leaders are expected to discuss key international and regional issues, including the resolution of the Ukraine crisis, as well as bilateral relations. China has repeatedly emphasized that the purpose of this visit to Russia is to mediate the Ukraine war. Earlier, on the first anniversary of the Ukraine war on the 24th of last month, China issued a statement titled "China's Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis," calling for Ukraine and Russia to resume dialogue and seek a ceasefire.

President Putin also confirmed during his meeting with President Xi the previous day that "We are well aware of China's position announced last month regarding the resolution of the Ukraine crisis. Russia is always open to negotiations," indicating that they will discuss China's peace talks proposal. He also mentioned that "(China) maintains a fair and balanced stance on most international issues."

There are reports that President Xi is considering holding a video conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after the summit with President Putin. However, given that the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for President Putin on war crime charges last week, there are concerns that such mediation efforts may not yield results. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken strongly criticized Xi's visit to Russia immediately after the ICC's issuance of the arrest warrant, saying it "means that China does not acknowledge Russia's responsibility for atrocities committed in Ukraine" and that "China is providing diplomatic cover for Russia's serious crimes."

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

As Russia's invasion of Ukraine prolongs, it is also crucial whether China will supply lethal weapons to Russia. The Washington Post (WP) reported, "Since the Ukraine war, due to Western sanctions limiting exports of oil, raw materials, and more, Russia is increasingly dependent on China," adding, "The joint statement after the summit is expected to include content deepening bilateral relations and economic cooperation."

The two leaders also held an informal meeting and dinner lasting four and a half hours the previous day. Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson, said in a briefing that "On the first day of President Xi's visit, there was a very in-depth exchange of views and serious dialogue between the two leaders."

After securing a third term, President Xi accepted Russia's invitation as his first overseas trip and has invited President Putin to visit China within the year. President Xi revealed this during a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on the same day. However, Russia has not responded on whether President Putin will accept the invitation to visit China.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Major foreign media are focusing on the fact that on the day of the summit between President Xi and President Putin, Prime Minister Kishida made an unannounced visit to Kyiv to support Ukraine. The New York Times (NYT) evaluated, "Prime Minister Kishida made a sudden visit to the war zone, emphasizing an active alliance with Ukraine," and said, "The two East Asian neighboring countries have laid the groundwork for a diplomatic battle."

A video released by Japan's public broadcaster NHK on the same day included scenes of Prime Minister Kishida arriving at Kyiv station and disembarking from the train. This is the first time a Japanese prime minister has visited Ukraine since Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year. Among the Group of Seven (G7) leaders, Kishida was the only one who had not visited Ukraine. It is reported that Kishida had been planning to visit Ukraine ahead of the G7 summit in Hiroshima in May. Originally, Kishida was scheduled to return home in the afternoon after visiting India, but he headed to Poland to visit Ukraine, which was not part of his official schedule.

Prime Minister Kishida is scheduled to hold a summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the same day. At this meeting, he is expected to express solidarity and support for Ukraine, oppose Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and reaffirm his determination to uphold an international order based on the rule of law.