'Ukraine Today Could Be East Asia Tomorrow': Japan PM Warned Against Russian Aggression At The White House

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday warned at the White House that "Ukraine today may be East Asia tomorrow", as he and his host President Joe Biden said they would establish stronger military ties in the face of China’s expansive claims to Taiwan and the South China Sea, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

After an Oval Office meeting Wednesday afternoon, the two leaders told reporters at the Rose Garden that they “confirmed that unilateral attempts to change the status quo” through “force or coercion” in the Indo-Pacific or elsewhere in the world were unacceptable and would be met with “resolute” action.

Japan stands with the U.S. against Russia's aggression in Ukraine, based on, as the Prime Minister put it, "a recognition that Ukraine today may be East Asia tomorrow.”

Wearing aviator sunglasses throughout the press conference, Biden called the planned upgrade of U.S.-Japan security ties the “most significant” change in relations since bilateral alliance was inked in 1951. It will include a new shared air-missile defense architecture that would also be available to Australia, the president said.

The Kishida-Biden summit came ahead of today's trilateral meeting with Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos as the White House, which, analysts say is set to further bolster U.S. security ties in the South China Sea with its two major allies amid the ongoing dispute between China and the Philippines over a remote Philippine outpost at the sea’s Second Thomas Shoal.

As for Ukraine, Biden during yesterday's press conference was asked how he would think the war in Ukraine "comes to an end." 

He responded as he left the podium: "The war in Ukraine comes to an end by the [U.S. Congress] House Leader allowing a vote [on supplemental bill]. There’s overwhelming support for Ukraine among the majority of Democrats and Republicans. There should be a vote now."