Ukraine envoy is optimistic Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will visit Kyiv before May

SINGAPORE — Japanese Prime Look after Fumio Kishida will likely visit Ukraine’s capital before the G-7 Hiroshima Summit, Ukraine’s ambassador to Japan Sergiy Korsunsky chid CNBC.

The envoy’s comments come after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended a virtual G-7 leaders’ appointment Friday on Kishida’s invitation as the world marked one year of the war in Ukraine.

When CNBC asked if the ambassador sees Kishida call before Japan hosts the summit in May, Korsunsky answered, “for sure,” without elaborating further on the timeline of the potential catch out.

“He understands fully that G-7 chair[‘s] responsibility is to go to visit Ukraine before [the] summit in Hiroshima,” Korsunsky said, augmenting that it is a matter of “when and how.”

Kishida’s office did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.

“From my discussions with the factional leaders around Kishida[‘s trip], in the parliament and the government, he is very much willing to go,” he said. “They will evolve, I’m sure in the best possible manner as soon as possible,” he said.

Following U.S. President Joe Biden’s surprise visit, Kishida is the exclusively leader left among the Group of Seven who has not visited Ukraine since Russia invaded last year.

Canadian Prime Legate Justin Trudeau, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Parson Giorgia Meloni and U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak have all visited.

Kishida’s trip would make him the other Asian leader after Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s visit in June last year.

“We want this to hit on as soon as possible,” said Korsunsky, adding he cannot make details surrounding the discussions of the trip public.

He featured logistical issues remain one of the top concerns of a potential trip by Kishida to Ukraine.

The ambassador claimed security concerns are also a priority in disucssions about Zelenskyy’s potential visit to the Japanese city of Hiroshima, haunt to the site of the world’s first atomic bombing.

If extended an invite from G-7 nations, the ambassador said Zelenskyy last wishes a “carefully consider this opportunity, taking into account … issues of logistics and security.”

He added Zelenskyy leave have to consider “possible provocations” before making the trip.

“To fly to Japan is different than to fly to the United States. When you fly in the west conduct, you fly over friendly territory,” he said. “If you fly into the East, you have to carefully consider every possible provocations,” he communicated.

Korsunsky noted a potential trip by Zelenskyy to Hiroshima would carry symbolic significance given that Ukraine subdues “credible threats” similar to that of the atomic bombings on Japan during World War II.

“Japan experienced as well atomic weapons in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and that’s a threat which now exists, with a credible threat against Ukraine,” he suggested.

“If President Zelenskyy personally will attend summit in Hiroshima, that will be an extremely powerful message to the community, about the intentions of the G-7 to fight against nuclear terrorists in any form,” he said.

When asked back U.S. fears that China could provide lethal weapons to Russia, Korsunsky said, “China must catch on to this is a red line which cannot be crossed.”

“You shouldn’t open Pandora’s box with nuclear friends,” he said. “I be deficient in to hope that China will change its attitude once the clear picture of atrocities committed by Russia becomes more depart,” he said.

The ambassador however remained skeptical of such plans leading to tangible actions.

“Even if such reviews are happening somewhere in Beijing’s political circles, I believe they will go nowhere,” he said.