Japan's prime minister arrives in Ukraine for talks with President Zelenskyy
NPRJapan's prime minister arrives in Ukraine for talks with President Zelenskyy Enlarge this image toggle caption Yoshikazu Tsuno/AP Yoshikazu Tsuno/AP KYIV, Ukraine — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida began a surprise visit to Ukraine early Tuesday, hours after Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in neighboring Russia for a three-day visit. He will "show respect to the courage and patience of the Ukrainian people who are standing up to defend their homeland under President Zelenskyy's leadership, and show solidarity and unwavering support for Ukraine as head of Japan and chairman of G-7," during his visit to Ukraine, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said in announcing his trip to Kyiv. His surprise trip to Ukraine comes just hours after he met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, and the week after a breakthrough summit with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yoel. U.S. President Joe Biden took a similar route to visit Kyiv last month, just before the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.