Zelensky is in Canada after Washington to rally support for Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky continues his North American tour with a visit to Canada on Friday. Canada is home to a large Ukrainian community that has supported Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion.

Zelensky arrived in the capital, Ottawa, late Thursday night from the United States, where he was welcomed by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Trudeau reaffirmed Canada's "steadfast support" in Ukraine's conflict with Russia.

During his visit, Zelensky, accompanied by his Defense Minister, Ruslan Homchak, is scheduled to meet with Canada's Governor General Mary Simon and deliver a speech before the Canadian Parliament.

Afterward, he will travel with Trudeau to Toronto, where they will meet with corporate leaders and members of the Ukrainian community in Canada.

Canada is the last country in the Group of Seven (G7) visited by Zelensky and is home to the second-largest Ukrainian community in the world after Russia, with approximately 1.4 million people of Ukrainian descent.

This marks the first official visit of the Ukrainian President to Canada since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022. In March, Zelensky addressed Canadian parliamentarians via video.

Trudeau stated in a Thursday statement that "the Ukrainian people are at the forefront, defining the future of the 21st century right now." He emphasized that Canada would stand by Ukraine "as long as necessary," reaffirming his country's commitment to providing "unwavering support to the Ukrainian people as they fight for their sovereignty and democracy."

Since the onset of the Russian attack, Canada pledged over $8.9 billion in support for Ukraine through various measures, including $4.95 billion in direct financial aid and over $1.8 billion in military assistance.

Ottawa has also trained more than 36,000 Ukrainian soldiers and provided military assistance, including eight Leopard 2 battle tanks, an armored rescue vehicle, 39 armored vehicles, anti-tank weapons, drones, and satellite communication equipment.


AFP