Japan, France vow to keep sanctions on Russia, deal with food crisis

Top diplomats of Japan and France on Tuesday agreed on the importance of keeping up economic pressure on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, while pledging to work together in supporting nations hit by a subsequent global supply shortage and price rises of food.

During their phone talks, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and his French counterpart Catherine Colonna shared the view that unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force are not acceptable anywhere in the world, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.

It was their first official conversation since Colonna took office in mid-May following Emmanuel Macron’s re-election as French president for a second term in April.

The ministers confirmed the importance of the international community’s unity in maintaining sanctions on Moscow and support for Ukraine, and also agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation on all fronts, according to the ministry.

With the Russian war since February showing no signs of abating, fears of food shortages in many Asian and African states have been growing due to Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian grain exports in Black Sea ports, which has pushed up global food prices.

Hayashi and Colonna agreed to step up cooperation on maritime security in the Indo-Pacific, where China’s military clout has been growing, as the security of Europe and the Indo-Pacific is indivisible, the Japanese ministry said.