Tokyo: Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi is considering attending a U.N. Security Council session on Ukraine to be held on the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, Foreign Ministry sources told Jiji Press on Thursday.

The participation by the foreign minister of Japan, this year’s chair of the Group of Seven major democracies, is expected to highlight the international community’s continued commitment to supporting Ukraine.

Japan began a two-year term as a nonpermanent Security Council member last month.

Malta, which holds the Security Council presidency this month, said Wednesday that the U.N. body will hold a ministerial meeting on Feb. 24 to discuss ways to maintain peace and security in Ukraine.

The Japanese Foreign Ministry is considering holding a meeting of the G-7 foreign ministers on the sidelines of the Security Council session or the Munich Security Conference, set for Feb. 17-19 in Germany.

“Japan wants to hold face-to-face discussions at the timing of the first anniversary of the invasion,” a ministry source said.

Last month, Japan and the United States co-hosted an online meeting of foreign ministers from the G-7 members and like-minded countries to discuss ways to help Ukraine people survive the cold winter.

Japan is set to host a meeting of the G-7 foreign ministers in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, on April 16-18.

JIJI Press