Zelensky meets Japanese PM Takaichi in New York, invites her to Kyiv
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly High-Level Week in New York. Zelensky thanked Japan for its ongoing support during Russia's war and invited Takaichi to visit Kyiv and the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, which Japan helped restore after a Russian drone strike.
Key points
- The meeting took place in New York on the margins of the UN General Assembly High-Level Week.
- Zelensky thanked Takaichi for Japan's support, including energy packages, sanctions, and humanitarian projects.
- Takaichi assured Zelensky that Japan's assistance to Ukraine would continue.
- The two discussed potential areas of mutual benefit; Ukraine said it is ready to share its experience and technologies.
- Zelensky noted Japan's strong air-defense technologies could help Ukraine through the next winter if Russia rejects negotiations.
- Zelensky invited Takaichi to visit Kyiv and the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, a UNESCO-protected site Japan helped restore after a Russian drone strike.
- Since the full-scale invasion began, Japan has provided Ukraine with assistance in energy, demining, debris clearance, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture, and industry.
Why it matters
The meeting reaffirms continued Japanese political, energy and humanitarian backing for Ukraine at a moment when Kyiv is consolidating international support on the margins of the UN General Assembly. It also opens the door to a possible Takaichi visit to Kyiv and to deeper bilateral cooperation, particularly on air defense ahead of another winter of potential Russian strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure.
What happened
President Volodymyr Zelensky met Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in New York during the UN General Assembly High-Level Week. Zelensky thanked Takaichi for Japan's sustained support throughout the years of Russia's war, citing energy packages, sanctions decisions and humanitarian projects, and said it was important to hear that Japanese assistance would continue. The two sides discussed areas where their countries could be useful to each other, with Ukraine expressing readiness to share its experience and technologies on a mutually beneficial basis. Zelensky pointed to Japan's strong life-protection and air-defense technologies as potentially important for Ukraine getting through the next winter if Russia again rejects negotiations. He also invited Takaichi to visit Kyiv and the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, a UNESCO-protected site Japan helped restore after a Russian drone strike.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian outlets centered their coverage on Zelensky's own readout of the meeting, emphasizing his gratitude for Japan's years of support and his invitation to Takaichi to visit Kyiv and the Pechersk Lavra. The framing highlights the bilateral relationship's tangible results — including Japan's help in restoring the Lavra — and frames Tokyo as a reliable partner whose assistance will continue.
Background
Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, Japan has provided Ukraine with assistance across energy, demining, debris clearance, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture and industry. Japan also helped restore the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra after a Russian drone strike damaged the UNESCO-protected site (one source dates the strike to June of the current year). Zelensky's meeting with Takaichi in New York is part of a broader series of bilateral talks he held on the margins of the UN General Assembly High-Level Week, including with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, with whom he discussed the continuation of anti-Russian sanctions.