Italy, Japan vow to exert pressure on Russia to end war

By Ahmet Gencturk

ANKARA (AA) – Italy and Japan vowed to exert pressure on Russia to end the ongoing war in Ukraine, Italian media reported on Wednesday.

“We continue to help Ukraine and exert pressure on Russia to end hostilities immediately,” said Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi during a joint press conference along with visiting Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida in Rome, the state-run news agency ANSA reported.

He also reiterated that the two countries are also working to achieve a truce to enable the evacuation of civilians.

Kishida, for his part, said: “Japan and Italy find themselves united in implementing sanctions of unprecedented severity.”

The Japanese premier also met with Pope Francis in the Vatican, according to ANSA.

At least 3,238 civilians have been killed and 3,397 others injured in Ukraine since the war with Russia began on Feb. 24, according to UN estimates. The true toll is feared to be much higher.

More than 5.6 million people have fled to other countries, with some 7.7 million people internally displaced, data from the UN refugee agency show.