Russia's military invasion of Ukraine continues.
Russian and Ukrainian forces are fighting in various parts of Ukraine, and many civilians have fled the country. We will update the situation in Ukraine on April 4 (Japan time), including the status of the fighting and diplomacy of the countries concerned.
(There is a 1-hour time difference between Japan and Ukraine and Moscow, Russia)
UN Security Council Emergency Meeting: U.S. and Russia Exchange Accusations Over Nuclear Weapons
In response to Russia's announcement of its intention to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus, an emergency meeting was held at the United Nations Security Council, where the United States called on Russia to stop its nuclear threats, but Russia responded by arguing that the United States was the one deploying nuclear weapons to its allies.
At the emergency meeting, Under-Secretary-General Nakamitsu, head of the UN Disarmament Division, said, "All countries must not take actions regarding nuclear weapons that could lead to a deterioration or unforeseen situation, and the parties to the NPT = Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty should work to reduce nuclear risks and ease tensions."
After this, U.S. Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations Wood accused Russia of "escalating dangerous and unstable actions and reminding the world that he is ignoring international law and the UN Charter," and called on Russia to immediately stop using nuclear threats.
In response, Russia's Ambassador to the United Nations Nebenzia retorted, "Russia has removed nuclear weapons from the countries of the former Soviet Union, but the United States is deploying nuclear weapons in NATO = North Atlantic Treaty Organization member countries," and it was an exchange of accusations.
Ceremony on the first year of the liberation of Bucha "It is not allowed to forget"
The ceremony was held to coincide with the one-year anniversary of the liberation of Bucha, near the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, where many civilians were killed in the invasion by Russian forces, and President Zelensky reiterated his determination for victory, saying, "We cannot forget the events in Bucha."
In addition to President Zelensky, the ceremony was attended by the leaders of Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia and Moldova, where the Ukrainian flag was hoisted and commended soldiers and others who contributed to the defeat of Russian troops.
In Bucha, the bodies of more than 3 civilians have been found after the withdrawal of the temporarily occupied Russian army, and Ukrainian prosecutors and the International Criminal Court are investigating suspected war crimes committed by Russian forces.
Putin approves new foreign policy guiding principles
On March 3, President Putin approved the new basic guidelines for foreign policy.
In its first revision since 31, it justified its invasion of Ukraine by saying, "The United States and other Western countries have launched a new hybrid war in response to the measures taken by Russia to protect its important national interests in Ukraine, with the aim of weakening Russia," and makes clear its confrontational stance with the West.
While emphasizing that "Russia is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and one of the two major nuclear powers," he stated that he would aim to build a multipolar international order with an emphasis on strengthening cooperation with countries such as China and India.
However, the Putin administration suspended the implementation of the "New START" nuclear disarmament treaty with the United States in February this year, and has repeatedly threatened the United States and other countries to increase military support for Ukraine by using their nuclear forces.
Next week, the leaders of Russia and Belarus will meet in Moscow to discuss strengthening bilateral ties, and are expected to exchange views on the deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus.