Sybiha condemns Putin's visit to Etorofu, expresses Ukraine's solidarity with Japan

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Sybiha condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Etorofu, calling for international condemnation of the provocative act. He expressed Ukraine's solidarity with Japan's stance on the Northern Territories, emphasizing that Japan's sovereignty over the islands is rooted in historical facts and international law.

The dispute stems from the 1855 Treaty of Commerce, Navigation and Delimitation, which Japan asserts gives it control over the Southern Kuril Islands, including Etorofu. However, Russia maintains that the Kuril Islands were ceded to the Soviet Union following World War II.

In a show of support, Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi protested to Russia after Putin's visit to Etorofu. He stressed that the territories are an integral part of Japan both historically and under international law. The Japanese government recently reinstated the term "illegally occupied" in its annual Diplomatic Bluebook to describe the Northern Territories.