India has refused to authorize the entry of a Japan Self-Defense Force plane intended to collect humanitarian aid for Ukrainian refugees, a Japanese government official revealed while addressing the Liberal Democratic Party meeting on Thursday.
The plan for the flight has been derailed and is expected to be scheduled later this month, the official told.
The Japanese lawmaker explained that India had earlier agreed to cooperate with Japan and allow the transport plane to land but it suddenly withdrew its decision on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s Cabinet was slated to formally approve on Friday the plan to send the aircraft, possibly in late April, but the flight will be put off following India’s withdrawal of consent, the official added.
The original schedule
As per the original schedule, a C-2 transport plane of the Air Self-Defense Force was supposed to pick up relief items such as blankets stockpiled by a U.N. agency in India and the United Arab Emirates, and transport them to Poland and Romania, both of which border Ukraine and have welcomed refugees from the war-torn country.
Japan will still try to dispatch the ASDF plane to transport aid supplies for Ukrainian refugees. The plan was made following a request from the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.
Aircraft of Japanese Forces have already delivered helmets and bulletproof vests destined for Ukraine via Poland.
America’s $800m security package for Ukraine
President Joe Biden announced an additional $800 million security assistance package for Ukraine on Thursday during his address to the Americans from the White House.
This new arms package will also be of the same size as the one announced last week.
Ukraine also will receive direct aid of $500 million to help its government continue critical operations, on top of the $500 million announced by Biden in March, the U.S. Treasury Department says.