MOSCOW, May 29. /TASS/. Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hoped to hold a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin following the start of Russia’s special military operation, his widow, Akie Abe, told Putin as they met in the Kremlin.

"I wanted to express my sincere gratitude to you for being so active in developing a dialogue with my spouse and sought to develop relations between our countries. I can say that my husband, even after the beginning of this difficult situation related to Ukraine, was eager to meet with you. He had such hope. But, unfortunately, the circumstances were such that he could not meet with you anymore, as his life was cut short. But he always said, as his will, that it was necessary to continue this process, which he sought to expand," Akie Abe said.

Shinzo Abe was killed on July 8, 2022.