Is the USA abandoning Ukraine? There's a lifeline for Kyiv from the Far East

Japan has pledged to provide Ukraine with $4.5 billion. This news came shortly after the U.S. Senate rejected the aid package for Kyiv. Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, could hardly contain his satisfaction, seeing the Japanese commitment as highly significant.

Japan's Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, pledged a hefty sum to Ukraine as reported by the Associated Press. The announcement was made during the G7 summit on Wednesday. $1 billion of this aid is allocated for humanitarian purposes and to support the efforts to rebuild the war-torn country. The humanitarian aid includes measures like supporting the Ukrainian population in financing generators and other sources of power essential during the winter, and removing mines laid by Russia. The remaining $3.5 billion will cover loan guarantees for Ukrainian loans with the World Bank.

"This is significant support for the reconstruction of Ukraine and our economy. Japan is steadfast in its support for Ukraine and its people," wrote Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a message posted on Platform X - the platform formerly known as Twitter. "We will continue to cooperate to hasten our shared victory," he added.

Since the onset of the Russian invasion, Japan has donated over $7 billion to Ukraine. The funding has mostly been used for humanitarian aid and non-lethal military equipment due to the legal restrictions tied to the doctrine of pacifism enshrined in Japan's constitution.

Despite Japan's peaceful policies, Serhi Korsunsky, Ukraine's ambassador to Tokyo, stated on Thursday that the two countries are considering the possibility of Japan providing missile defense systems and drones. "This isn't lethal weaponry, in reality, it's humanitarian aid," commented a U.S. embassy official in Tokyo.

The AP also reports that Japan is considering relaxing its restrictions on weapon exports, thus facilitating the delivery of jointly developed equipment to Ukraine. Concurrently, Tokyo is looking to fortify its defense industry in response to the growing threats from China, North Korea, and Russia.