Japanese PM Fumio Kishida pledges support to Poland in trip to Warsaw

March 22 (UPI) -- Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on Wednesday that Japan will give developmental assistance to his country to help it cope with the large influx of Ukrainian refugees fleeing Russia's invasion.

Kishida, who slipped into Kyiv through Poland earlier to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, made the announcement of financial aid after a meeting with Morawiecki in Warsaw.

"Due to the prolonged [Russian] aggression against Ukraine, [Kishida] stated that the government of Japan decided to provide ODA directly to Poland with a view of reducing its burden as well as effectively providing humanitarian, rehabilitation and reconstruction assistance to Ukraine," a statement from Kishida's office said.

Kishida said he also welcomed more bilateral relations with Poland in "various fields."

Morawiecki said on social media he was pleased with the meeting with both countries continuing their support for Ukraine.

"A great talk with Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during his first visit to Poland," he said on Twitter. "We discussed economic cooperation, the building of modern transport & digital infrastructure, as well as security and stopping Russia's aggression towards Ukraine."

Kishida's trip to Ukraine through Poland marked the first time since World War II that a Japanese leader had visited another country that was under war. The trip to see Zelensky was unannounced in advance as Kishida flew into Poland and then took a train into Kyiv.