Japan PM Abe intends to push forward on peace treaty with Russia

Abe, who has signalled he is keen to strike a deal, is expected in Moscow next month for his 25th summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Image courtesy: Reuters

Tokyo: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Friday he intends to push forward towards a World War Two peace treaty with Russia, which has been stymied for decades by a territorial row, during a summit in Russia later this month.

Abe will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin for discussions aimed at ending the row over a group of windswept islands seized by Soviet troops in the final days of the war. He told a news conference that, while reaching an agreement would be difficult, he wanted to make as much progress as possible.