In Kyiv, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney in a one-on-one format and in an expanded format.
The Head of State thanked Mark Carney for his visit to Ukraine on Independence Day and emphasized that Canada was one of the first countries to recognize the restoration of Ukraine’s independence in 1991.
The leaders discussed diplomatic steps and coordination with partners. In particular, the President briefed on cooperation with the United States.
“We must continue to exert pressure on Russia in order to end this war with dignity – with guaranteed security and guaranteed peace. This is possible only through the joint strength of everyone in the world who seeks peace and respects international law. The leaders’ dialogue format is the most effective path,” said the Head of State.
During the meeting, the parties also discussed the synchronization of sanctions between Ukraine and Canada to jointly strengthen pressure on Russia. Mark Carney noted that Canada is expanding sanctions against the Russian Federation.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that it is important that Canada participate in the development of security guarantees for Ukraine on the same level as European countries.
“We are counting on the presence of Canadian forces in Ukraine. This is important for us,” the President said.
Mark Carney added that Canada supports the efforts of the United States to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, which requires strong security guarantees on land, at sea, and in the air. Canada is considering the possibility of deploying its forces to help ensure Ukraine’s security.
“We emphasize that the approach to peace and security must follow the principle that no decisions about Ukraine are made without Ukraine, and no decisions about Europe are made without Europe,” the Prime Minister stated.
In June, Canada provided Ukraine with a defense assistance package worth 2 billion Canadian dollars. Of this, 800 million will be allocated for the procurement of military equipment, armored vehicles, weapons, ammunition, and drones. The leaders also discussed defense cooperation and Canada’s involvement in NATO’s PURL program. The President thanked Canada for its readiness to allocate 500 million dollars under this initiative and outlined the potential of Ukraine’s defense industry.
“We will also allocate over 200 million dollars for the joint production of defense products in our two countries, including modern drones involving Canadian suppliers. And another 165 million dollars for strengthening drone capabilities, as well as additional funds for humanitarian assistance to support civilians affected by this horrific war,” noted the Prime Minister of Canada.
The two sides also discussed cooperation in the energy sector. The President invited Canada to join energy projects, including the use of Ukrainian storage facilities for the supply of Canadian gas, in particular to the European market. In the coming days, the energy ministers of the two countries will discuss this matter in detail.
The leaders also focused on Canada’s potential involvement in Ukraine’s recovery, the implementation of rehabilitation programs for Ukrainian veterans, and joint efforts to bring back children illegally taken and deported by Russia.
