Russia's military invasion of Ukraine continues.
Russian and Ukrainian forces continue to fight in various parts of Ukraine, and many civilians have fled the country. We will keep you updated on developments regarding the situation in Ukraine on the 14th (Japan time), including the situation of the battle and the diplomacy of the countries involved.
(There is a 7 hour time difference between Japan and Ukraine, and a 6 hour time difference with Moscow, Russia)
Russia puts Estonian Prime Minister and other Baltic government officials on wanted list
According to TASS news agency and other sources, on the 12th, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs placed people on the wanted list, including Estonian Prime Minister Kalas, Latvia's Justice Minister, and several high-ranking government officials and members of the House of Representatives from the Baltic States, including Lithuania's Culture Minister.
TASS news agency, citing law enforcement sources, said the government officials were wanted for vandalizing a monument to Soviet soldiers who fought against Nazi Germany in World War II.
Regarding this, Spokesman of the Russian Presidential Administration Peskov said, ``They are acting hostile both to historical memory and to our country.''
In response, Estonian Prime Minister Karas responded to his former Twitter account X, saying, ``I'm not surprised. It's proof that I'm doing the right thing. I will continue to provide strong support for Ukraine.'' I posted it.
The Baltic countries have a strong anti-Russian sentiment due to their history of being annexed by the former Soviet Union, and since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, there has been a series of moves to remove monuments praising Soviet soldiers as liberators from Nazi Germany. Russia strongly opposes the move, calling it a ``distortion of history.''
U.S. Senate passes Ukraine aid budget, but it is unclear whether it will be enacted
On the 13th, after consultation between the ruling and opposition parties, the U.S. Senate voted on an emergency budget bill totaling more than $95 billion, or more than 14 trillion yen, including aid to Ukraine and Israel, with 70 votes in favor. It passed with 29 votes against.
The United States, which has been Ukraine's largest military supporter, ran out of funding at the end of last year due to conflicts between the ruling and opposition parties, and new military aid has stopped.
The Biden administration has repeatedly urged Congress to pass a budget quickly.
In the Senate, the ruling and opposition parties briefly agreed on measures to strengthen border controls with Mexico that were requested by the opposition and Republican parties, but in response to former President Trump's opposition, Republican members also turned to the opposition, leading to a deadlock. It was riding up.
However, the budget bill passed by the Senate this time does not include measures to tighten border control, which Trump has pointed out are insufficient, and in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, Chairman Johnson has rejected the plan. However, it remains unclear whether the budget proposal will be passed.
In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted on social media on the 13th, welcoming the decision and saying, ``This is a decision that not only us, but many other countries, especially Europe, have been waiting for.''
He expressed hope that the budget bill would be passed in the House of Representatives, saying, ``This is the first step, and the next step is the House of Representatives.We are looking forward to a positive decision.''
Japanese government considers easing travel restrictions to Ukraine, limited to companies involved in reconstruction support
Some members of the business community have said that the government's decision to issue an ``evacuation advisory'' to all of Ukraine and restrict travel from Japan is ``creating a barrier to business activities.'' The Japanese government is considering whether it is possible to ease travel restrictions.
As attacks by Russia continue, there are many negative opinions within the government about lowering the level of danger information, such as keeping the "evacuation advisory" in place but limiting it to corporate personnel involved in reconstruction support. , there is a proposal for exceptional relaxation.
Specifically, consideration is being given to allowing foreigners to stay for a certain period of time after receiving an application from a company and conducting a review to ensure safety.
The government will make decisions carefully, taking into consideration the local situation and examples from other countries.
Approximately 50 organizations will participate in the "Japan-Ukraine Economic Reconstruction Promotion Conference" held in Tokyo
The Japan-Ukraine Economic Reconstruction Promotion Conference will be held by the Japanese government in Tokyo on the 19th of this month, and Ukrainian Prime Minister Shmikhali and other government and business officials are scheduled to attend.
According to people involved, arrangements are being made for the conference to have close to 100 participants from approximately 50 organizations, including Ukrainian companies and research institutes, mainly in fields such as construction, energy, and agriculture, and the Japanese side. In total, more than 40 cooperation documents are expected to be signed between the two countries.
In addition, companies from both countries have agreed on a total of seven areas, including mine countermeasures and debris disposal, agricultural development and related industry sophistication, and business development in the digital and IT fields.
Ukraine wants Japan to take the lead in the recovery and reconstruction of the civilian sector, and hopes to collaborate with Japan in a wide range of areas, including the maintenance of infrastructure destroyed by Russia's military invasion.