Ukraine Says Willing to Open Drone Talks with Japan

(MENAFN) Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has signaled Kyiv's willingness to partner with Japan on drone and unmanned systems technology, as Ukraine looks to expand its defense cooperation network beyond the battlefield.

In remarks to media on Friday, Sybiha said Ukraine is prepared to offer Japan its "experience gained on the battlefield," and remains "open to interaction, based on the level of readiness of the Japanese side."

Kyiv is also seeking to elevate the diplomatic relationship, with Sybiha expressing interest in a potential summit between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on the sidelines of the Group of Seven meeting scheduled for June in France. The foreign minister separately confirmed plans for a personal visit to Japan in the latter part of the year.

Sybiha's remarks follow reports that Tokyo is weighing the adoption of Ukrainian-developed drone systems to bolster its own defense posture, after Kyiv made a direct approach to Japanese authorities.

The top diplomat also fired a sharp warning at Washington, urging the U.S. to hold firm on economic pressure against Moscow and to resist any softening of oil-related sanctions.

"Now is not the right time to ease the pressure on Russia," he said, describing the U.S. role in securing peace as "decisive."

"Any decisions to ease or eliminate sanctions pressure on Russia are wrong, and they slow down peace efforts and the peace process," he added.

The diplomatic outreach coincides with a major policy shift in Kyiv: President Zelenskyy announced Tuesday that weapons exports "will become a reality" following state-level approval of critical details.

Zelenskyy unveiled a new cooperative framework dubbed Drone Deals, encompassing drone production and supply, missiles, ammunition, and broader military hardware — alongside technology-sharing arrangements and integration with allied defense systems. The initiative is already active with partners spanning the Middle East, the Gulf region, Europe, and the Caucasus.

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