Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called on Ukraine's leader Saturday to sincerely implement a cease-fire after fighting broke out between government forces and pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine earlier in the week.

Abe issued the call during his meeting in Kiev with President Petro Poroshenko on the way to the two-day Group of Seven summit in Germany starting Sunday. The Ukraine crisis is expected to top the agenda at the G-7 summit amid persistent fighting that continues even after the cease-fire deal struck in February between Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France.

At a joint news conference after the meeting, Abe said Tokyo will offer support to Ukraine to stabilize the situation, such as by sending experts. Japan will also help develop human resources in Ukraine to fight corruption and promote administrative reform, he said.