TORONTO (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Canada to stay with his country to victory Friday as he went to the Canadian Parliament seeking to bolster support from Western allies for Ukraine’s war against the Russian invasion.
Zelenskyy flew into Canada’s capital late Thursday after meetings with U.S. President Joe Biden and lawmakers in Washington. He spoke at the United Nations’ annual meeting Wednesday.
He planned to speak before the Canadian Parliament later Friday. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who also planned to speak to Parliament, gave Zelenskyy a warm welcome upon arrival in Parliament.
“I have a lot of warm words and thanks from Ukraine to you,” Zelenskyy said in Trudeau’s office before his speech. “You have helped us on the battlefield, financially and with humanitarian aid ... Stay with us to our victory.”
Trudeau called the visit an opportunity to show Zelenskyy “how strongly and unequivocally we stand with Ukraine.”
It is Zelenskyy’s first visit to Canada since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. He previously addressed the Canadian Parliament virtually after the war started.
After their speeches, Zelenskyy and Trudeau are scheduled to go to Toronto to meet with the local Ukrainian community. Canada is home to about 1.4 million people of Ukrainian descent, close to 4% of the population.
Canada’s U.N. ambassador, Bob Rae, said it is important for Zelenskyy to see the extent to which Canada supports Ukraine in the war.
“We have done a lot to help him and we need to do more,” Rae said. “We’re going to continue to do everything we can to support the Ukrainian people.”
Canada has provided more than $8.9 billion Canadian (US$6.6 billion) in support to Ukraine in what Trudeau’s government calls the highest per-capita direct financial support to Ukraine in the Group of 7 industrial nations.
More than 175,000 Ukrainians have come to Canada since the war started and an additional 700,000 have received approval to come as part of an initiative that supports temporary relocation of those fleeing the war. The initiative allows for an open work permit for three years with pathways to permeant residency and citizenship.
Trudeau’s office said Canada has provided $1.8 billion Canadian (US$1.3 billion) in military aid, including tanks, artillery, armored vehicles and ammunition.
Zelenskyy is facing questions in Washington about the flow of American dollars that for 19 months has helped keep his troops in the fight against Russian forces. A hard-right flank of Republicans, led by Donald Trump, Biden’s chief rival in the 2024 race for the White House, is increasingly opposed to sending more money overseas.
He also faces challenges in Europe as well as cracks emerge in what had been a largely united Western alliance behind Ukraine. Late Wednesday, Poland’s prime minister said his country is no longer sending arms to Ukraine, a comment that appeared aimed at pressuring Kyiv and put Poland’s status as a major source of military equipment in doubt as a trade dispute between the neighboring states escalates.
Ukrainian troops are struggling to take back territory that Russia gained over the past year. Their progress in the next month or so before the rains come and the ground turns to mud could be critical in rousing additional global support over the winter.
Zelenskyy made his first official visit to Canada in 2019.
“Considering the reluctance of many Republicans in U.S. Congress to further support Ukraine and the tensions between Ukraine and some of its key allies like Poland, Canada is seen as a reliable supporter of Ukraine so Zelensky will be in friendly territory during his visit to Canada,” said Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal.
“A key fact to keep in mind here is that four percent of Canadians are of Ukrainian descent, including Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland.”
