Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Canada for his first visit in almost a year amidst a series of deadly airstrikes in his country. Zelenskyy, accompanied by his wife Olena Zelenska, is scheduled to participate in events in Calgary, Toronto, and North Bay from Wednesday to Friday, according to a statement from Prime Minister Mark Carney. The Ukrainian leader landed in Calgary on Wednesday night and is expected to meet with the prime minister.
Upon his arrival, Zelenskyy and his wife were greeted by officials, including Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, at the Calgary airport before being escorted away in a black SUV. The meeting between Carney and Zelenskyy is planned for Thursday morning in Calgary, followed by Zelenskyy addressing a cabinet meeting in Banff, Alta.
Carney highlighted that the visit demonstrates Canada’s ongoing support for Ukraine and emphasizes the commitment to achieving a just and enduring peace. The visit aims to strengthen defense, economic, and energy cooperation between Canada and Ukraine, focusing on addressing the human toll of Russia’s aggressive actions against Ukraine and enhancing the people-to-people connections between the two nations.
Zelenskyy announced his trip to Canada through social media, without specifying the arrival city. His previous visit to Canada was in December last year, where he met with Carney in Halifax before proceeding to the U.S. for discussions on resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Carney visited Kyiv last August to reaffirm Canada’s backing for Ukraine and disclose plans for an additional $2 billion in military assistance.
A flight transporting Zelenskyy from Moldova to Norway was delayed on Tuesday due to drone activity that led to the closure of Moldova’s airspace. Moldovan authorities reported a Russian drone crash in a sunflower field, causing fires but no injuries. Moldova closed its airspace to ensure the safety of aircraft in flight, resulting in the delay of several departures, including Zelenskyy’s.
Zelenskyy’s visit coincides with Kyiv facing severe airstrikes and appealing for increased air defense support. European leaders argue that Russia is intensifying its military operations in the region. Before departing for Canada, Zelenskyy criticized the international community for not taking a firmer stance against Russia’s escalating attacks on Ukrainian civilians, emphasizing the need for a robust response to deter Moscow’s aggressive actions.
Carney recently stated that if Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the upcoming G20 summit in Miami, his message to Putin would be straightforward: to withdraw from Ukraine, return all Ukrainian territories, and end the ongoing conflict, which is causing significant casualties monthly.