Japan's PM Fumio Kishida plans phone call with Putin amid Russia-Ukraine border conflict

Amid ongoing Russia-Ukraine border conflict, Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Russian President Vlimir Putin are planning a telephonic conversation. call can possibly take place later on Thursday, Kyodo news reported citing a source familiar with situation.

"A tense situation persists, and anything could happen. Japan must strive to ease tensions through diplomatic means," Kishida stated at a meeting of his Liberal Democratic Party faction on Thursday, Kyodo news reported.

"If we condone use of force to change status quo, it will have an influence on Asia as well," Kishida continued. Earlier this week, Kishida spoke by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to reaffirm Japan's support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity in face of a Russian military buildup near country, and two leers pledged to work hard to defuse tensions diplomatically.

scheduled telephonic conversation between Kishida and Putin comes as US and major European nations, tably France and Germany, have stepped up diplomatic efforts to prevent situation from escalating furr. According to people familiar with idea, leers from Group of Seven industrialised nations are considering having a virtual summit on crisis in Ukraine on February 24.

Russia-Ukraine conflict

Since Viktor Yanukovych, Ukraine's Kremlin-friendly president, was deposed by a popular uprising in 2014, Russia and Ukraine have been at odds. Moscow annexed Crimean Peninsula and backed separatists in east in retribution, killing nearly 14,000 people in process. According to Associated Press, a 2015 peace treaty sponsored by France and Germany ended large-scale battles, but periodic skirmishes between Russia and Ukraine have continued, and efforts to negotiate a political settlement have faltered.

Russian Defense Ministry anunced on February 15 that some of its personnel stationed in Ukraine will return to ir base locations. In reaction, United States' President Joe Biden stated that US was closely monitoring situation and that if Russia attempted to inve Ukraine, US would strike hard. According to American assessments, Russian military remained in a precarious situation, and possibility of a Ukrainian invasion could t be ruled out.

(With inputs from ncies)

Im: AP