British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is visiting Japan for the G7 summit that opens in Hiroshima on Friday. In an interview with NHK on Thursday, Sunak said he wants to work together with other leaders for non-proliferation of nuclear arms and continue support for Ukraine.
Sunak said it is going to be "a real privilege to visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and understand the lessons that we must learn from history." He said the visit will "remind us of the horrors of the nuclear wars and give us a guide for a future where we all believe in nuclear non-proliferation."
Asked about Russia's invasion into Ukraine, Sunak said, "Russia's illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is unacceptable on any terms, and what was particularly worrying last year was the escalation of nuclear rhetoric we saw from Russia."
He added, "It reminds us that we are dealing with a country that is prepared to do some things that none of us think are appropriate and right."
Sunak went on to say that one of the themes of the G7 summit will be the unity between the G7 countries in supporting Ukraine, being steadfast in their support for the country so that they can repel the Russian invasion.
Sunak pointed out that the UK is the largest provider of military aid to Ukraine, second only to the US. The country this month provided Storm Shadow cruise missiles, which are the longest range Ukraine has ever received.
Sunak said the key capabilities that Ukrainians need to carry out successful military operations are air defense, long-range weapons like Storm Shadow, and also tanks.
Sunak said the UK will continue to announce more support for Ukraine in the coming weeks and months.
Sunak added, "We're already thinking about the longer term security agreements that we will want to put in place with Ukraine to act as an effective deterrent to future aggression from Russia." He said the idea is expected to be discussed during the G7 summit.
Sunak also talked about the significance of the Indo-Pacific region for the UK. His government has said its Indo-Pacific policy is a permanent pillar of its foreign policy.
In this regard, Sunak said, "He believes China represents an epoch, defining challenge." He stated the country "has both the means and the desire to reshape the world order."
He pointed out Japan and the UK are completely aligned on their shared aim of realizing "a free and open Indo-Pacific where neither of us want to see any change to the status quo by force or unilateral means."
Finally, Sunak said the relationship between the UK and Japan has never been stronger than it is now. He said the partnership works because the values the two countries have are very similar. He explained, "We both believe in a free and open Indo-Pacific. We both believe in a global trading system that is based on rules and are fair, and both of our economies are built on innovation."
Sunak said he hopes that the people of Japan look to the United Kingdom as a close partner, ally, and, most importantly, friend.