Cyprus News Agency

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha commented on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Japan’s Etorofu Island.

Sybiha said the visit was a clear sign of disrespect toward Japan and a deliberate attempt to normalize the illegal occupation by escalating tensions.

Sybiha said Etorofu is part of Japan’s Northern Territories and is occupied by Russia, adding that no provocative visit can change that fact.

Sybiha argued that Russia pursues the same imperial policy in different regions by occupying the territories of other countries, militarizing those areas and threatening its neighbors. He stressed that occupation cannot be legitimized by the passage of time or by attempts to create a fait accompli.