New Delhi: Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday affirmed the importance of blocking any military aid to Russia by a third party.

They reached the agreement at a meeting in New Delhi, apparently keeping in mind claims that China may provide Russia with weapons for its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

During the 20-minute talks, Hayashi and Blinken also agreed to increase their nations’ engagement in developing and emerging countries in the so-called Global South in order to maintain international order.

The Japanese and U.S. sides confirmed that to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific, they will spearhead activities under the Group of Seven framework of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States plus the European Union, and the Quad group, which consists of Japan, the United States, Australia and India.

JIJI Press