During a visit to Kiev, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa has promised Ukraine support in its continued defence against Russian aggression.

Japan will pay $37 million into a NATO fund, Kamikawa said at a joint press conference with her counterpart Dmytro Kuleba on Sunday, according to Ukrainian media.

This money would then benefit Ukraine’s air defence and flow into drone detection systems, she said. Russia has been bombarding the neighbouring country with large-scale combat drone attacks for months.

Japan is supporting Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion, which has been ongoing for almost two years, and has also imposed sanctions against Russia in line with the West.

Kamikawa’s predecessor Yoshimasa Hayashi and Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also visited Ukraine for talks a few months ago. However, the country’s pacifist constitution does not allow Japan to supply weapons to Ukraine itself.