On October 29, an analytical program featured Valeriy Klychko and Arthur Kharetonov, president of the Liberal-Democratic League NGO. They discussed Donald Trump's Asian tour, calling it a key geopolitical event of the year, particularly for Ukraine's security.
The tour started in Kuala Lumpur at the ASEAN leadership summit, with Trump meeting new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and witnessing the signing of a peace treaty between Cambodia and Thailand. Special attention was given to cybercrime problems linked to syndicates supported by China. Trump imposed sanctions on entities in Cambodia connected to these activities. The scale of cyber fraud was significant, with estimated losses around $75 billion in 2020 alone.
Trump then visited Japan, where he discussed Sanae Takaichi's rise to lead a center-right coalition and her government's plans to strengthen Japan’s defense. Notably, Japan will raise its defense budget to 2% of GDP by March 2026 and is set to remove restrictions on arms exports—decisions important for Ukraine. The U.S.-Japan deal for $550 billion was confirmed, with funds allocated to American infrastructure, energy security, and production.
Japan's continued purchases of gas from Sakhalin were analyzed as a strategic step linked to national security and Japan's long-term investments in the region.
The next critical stop is South Korea, preparing for Trump’s meeting with Xi Jinping. Central topics include trade tariffs and China’s influence regarding Russia’s war in Ukraine. The American side expects China to provide assurances on contributing toward ending the war. Experts, however, emphasize the ongoing strategic rift between the U.S. and China, meaning Ukraine’s interests are part of a broader geopolitical puzzle. Diplomacy from Kyiv will be necessary.
