Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko has stated that Japan must take the first step toward re-establishing diplomatic contact by abandoning what Moscow describes as its hostile policy toward Russia.
The comments, reported by TASS, mark a hardline stance from Moscow, effectively placing the burden of de-escalation squarely on Tokyo.
Rudenko emphasized that Japan initiated sanctions against Russia in February 2022 to align with Western solidarity, a policy that continues to this day.
Rudenko emphasized that Japan initiated sanctions against Russia in February 2022 to align with Western solidarity, a policy that continues to this day.
According to the Russian official, reversing this stance is a prerequisite for any meaningful engagement between the two nations.
The remarks underscore the deepening rift between Russia and key Asian partners who have joined broader Western sanctions regimes.
This diplomatic friction occurs against a backdrop of heightened Russian rhetoric toward the West.