Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa is in Ukraine today on a surprise visit to ensure Tokyo continues to support Kiev in the war against Russia. The Japanese government announced this and said that Kamikawa would meet her Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba. The Japanese Foreign Ministry says: “Kamikawa will reaffirm to the Ukrainian side that Japan's consistent policy of support and assistance to Ukraine remains unchanged even in the face of the current serious international situation.” The minister will reaffirm in Kiev “that Japan remains committed to the Recovery and reconstruction” of the European country “in the framework of a close public-private partnership by hosting the Japan-Ukraine Conference on February 19 with the participation of Japan.” Presence of Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Denys Shmyhal” “Kamikawa will hold a serious discussion with Ukrainian partners on efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace,” the Japanese ministry said in a statement. The minister concluded the Tokyo statement: “Will demonstrate Japan's determination to support the international “To maintain order based on the rule of law, with the perspective that unilateral violent changes to the status quo, such as Russia's aggression against Ukraine, cannot be accepted.”
Tonight air alerts were sounded in five regions of Ukraine: Kiev, Vinnytsia, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv and Khmelnytskyi. The air force shot down seven drones in a Russian attack on the eastern city of Dnipro last night, Governor Serhii Lysak said. A residential building was damaged and some cars were destroyed. Six people, including two children, were rescued. No civilian casualties were reported.
The announcement of the candidacy of European Council President Charles Michel for the next elections worries Kiev. If elected, Michel would take office in the European Parliament in mid-July. EU heads of state and government must therefore quickly nominate a successor to his vacant seat on the European Council. With Hungary set to take over the rotating presidency of the Council in July – as several Ukrainian media outlets point out today – Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban could take over the role of President of the European Council if EU members do not quickly agree on another candidate. Tensions between the EU and Hungary over support for Ukraine have increased in intensity over the past year. As Michel's successor, “Orban – writes the Kyiv Independent – would likely provoke further conflicts among members of the European Commission.” Since the start of Russia's war in Ukraine, Hungary has repeatedly blocked EU support for Kiev, opposed sanctions against Moscow and is now threatening to thwart Ukraine's bid to join the EU.
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