The United States received support from Japan and Australia, while India continued to refrain from condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine
The countries negotiating in Tokyo discussed the implications of the situation in Ukraine for the Pacific.
The summit of the leaders of the countries of the so-called Quad Alliance has ended in Japan. Host Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said at a news conference that the countries in the group share concerns about the situation in Ukraine.
The security alliance of the Quad countries consists of Australia, the United States, Japan, and India.
According to Kishida, the countries discussed the implications of the situation in Ukraine in the Pacific. He said the countries were expressing concern over Ukraine's tragic war. At the same time, he recalled that principles such as the rule of law, sovereignty, and territorial integrity must be respected in all regions.
India has been cautious in commenting on the war in Ukraine. Although India has developed close relations with the United States in recent years and is an integral part of the Quad group, it has a long-standing relationship with Russia. Russia is an important trading partner for India. India has even been estimated to benefit from Russia’s plight.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also refrained this time from condemning Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
US President Joe Biden, for his part, commented bluntly on the situation in Ukraine. According to him, the situation in Ukraine is not just a European matter.
The quad countries discussed together, but there were also bilateral talks between the countries. India and the United States negotiated to strengthen their trade and defense relations.
There are no changes to Taiwan's policies
At the end of the summit, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), previously proposed by Biden, was no longer sidelined. In Biden's view, it would include Australia, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
President Joe Biden, on the other hand, had to clarify his earlier statement on U.S. policy towards Taiwan on Tuesday. Biden clarified that there will be no changes to Taiwan policies. The joint statement by the Quad countries does not mention China's growing military power in the region.
In addition to the Prime Ministers of Japan and India and the President of the United States, the meeting was attended by the newly elected Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese.
The Quad Group holds regular discussions on, among other things, security cooperation in the Pacific. The group was set up in 2007 on the initiative Japan.
