Denys Shmygal speaks at a meeting attended by about 300 government and business leaders (file photo)
Tokyo:
Ukraine’s prime minister on Monday urged the Japanese government and private sector to step up support for the country’s reconstruction, promising an “economic miracle” once the nearly two-year war with Russia ends.
“Japan has provided more than $10 billion in various support to Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion,” Denys Shmygal told a meeting of about 300 government and business leaders from Japan and Ukraine. making it the fourth largest donor country.
“Millions of Ukrainian people are surviving because of Russian funding in this terrible war that Russia caused,” Shmigal said through a translator.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was scheduled to address the rally in Tokyo via video link, but the meeting was canceled, organizers said, without elaborating.
Shmigal said: “The private sector is the main engine of Ukraine’s reconstruction efforts… We are willing to cooperate with Japan to promote the modernization and reconstruction of Ukraine. We want all of you to be part of Ukraine’s economic miracle.”
“Companies that invest in Ukraine’s economy now will be able to reap benefits and opportunities in the coming years that you won’t believe. Ukraine’s success is not just our success, it is your success.”
Japan last year relaxed export controls on manufactured goods, allowing it to help fill gaps in defense equipment from major arms suppliers to Ukraine such as the United States.
Tokyo has also provided so-called “non-lethal support” to Ukraine, such as aircraft detection systems and mobile generators.
Last week, the World Bank, the European Union and the United Nations estimated in a joint report that Ukraine’s reconstruction costs will reach $486 billion over the next decade, with $15 billion in 2024 alone.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday “reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to supporting Ukraine and its people in defending their freedom and independence and restoring their territorial integrity,” according to a joint statement.
He also reiterated his commitment to providing “the long-term assistance necessary to ensure the stability of Ukraine’s economy,” the statement said.
The two sides signed a number of agreements on infrastructure reconstruction, demining, agriculture and strengthening governance.
Japan also agreed to relax visa rules for Ukrainian businessmen.
The meeting came after Russian forces retook the eastern Ukrainian stronghold of Avdiivka and $60 billion in U.S. military aid remains stalled in Congress.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
