On March 5, 2025, the New Europe Center held the V Ukraine-Japan Forum, “Enhancing special global partnership. Ukraine and Japan on the way to victory and just peace”. During the event, analysts and academics from Japan and Ukraine discussed issues related to the broader security environment in which both countries operate today and bilateral relations in the context of the ongoing Russian war in Ukraine.
Namely, the discussion panels were devoted to the following issues:
- How Ukraine and Japan democracy duo can confront emerging “four horses of Apocalypse” alliance
- Japan as Ukraine’s one stop gateway to G7 and Global South. What mission is more needed?
- From special to strategic. What are the key elements for transforming global special partnership between Ukraine and Japan into strategic one?
During the introductory remarks Alyona Getmanchuk, Director, New Europe Center said: “Today, when the core of our partnership since 2014 – the rules-based international order – is being dismantled before our eyes, when the idea of alliances is being devalued, when some countries are forced to choose between security guarantees and the values of freedom and democracy, and when Russia’s war against Ukraine has long since become a war that the Kremlin is able to continue at this level only through increased cooperation with Iran, North Korea, and China, we need even more support and even closer partnership with Japan. This includes partnership in the security and defense sphere”.
Masashi Nakagome, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Ukraine, and Yevhen Perebyinis, Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine made welcoming remarks.
“In support of Ukraine, Japan remains resolute in its belief that this war is not merely a conflict; it is an outright act of aggression against a sovereign state. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is an egregious violation of the very foundation of the international order. Japan firmly opposes any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force, whether in Ukraine, East Asia or anywhere in the world”, Ambassador Masashi Nakagome stated.
“Despite the geographical distance that separates our countries, Japan is one of Ukraine’s key partners today. We are strongly united by common democratic values and similar approaches to addressing the global challenges the world is facing today. World security is universal, and therefore, there is a close relationship between what is happening in Ukraine and Europe and the threats facing other regions of the world, particularly in the Asia-Pacific”, Yevhen Perebyinis, Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine told during his speech.
Video recordings of the forum are available in Ukrainian and English.
Detailed photo report of V Ukraine-Japan Forum
Speakers’ key points:
Welcome remarks by Alyona Getmanchuk, Director of New Europe Center.
Speech of Masashi Nakagome, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Ukraine.
Speech of Yevhen Perebyinis, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Soon we will publish extended messages from the Forum speakers.
Read more about previous forums here.
