President Putin: 'We will not lower the Russian flag on the Kuril Islands'
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that regardless of Japan's territorial claims, there will be no lowering of the Russian flag on the Kuril Islands.
“We will not lower the flag. We have no such plans,” the Kremlin leader said in an interview with the Russia 1 TV channel.
Earlier, answering reporters' questions after the Online Exchange, Mr. Putin announced that he was waiting for a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to continue dialogue, including on the Peace Treaty.
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The meeting of the leaders of Russia and Japan took place on November 14, 2018 in Singapore. As a result of the meeting, the Japanese Prime Minister announced that the parties agreed to accelerate negotiations on a peace treaty based on the 1956 Joint Declaration. This was a serious concession from Japan, as Tokyo's official position has so far demanded the transfer of the Kunashir, Iturup, Shikotan and Habomai Islands and then the signing of a peace treaty.
