Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Canada on Tuesday. During the visit, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a new military aid package worth C$2 billion ($1.47 billion). Carney also revealed that Canada would introduce more financial sanctions against Russia.
Visit Tied to G7 Summit and Ongoing War
Zelenskyy’s trip coincided with the G7 summit, where he urged member nations to boost support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. At the same time, tensions in West Asia led US President Donald Trump to leave the summit early.
G7 Divided Over Ukraine and West Asia
The G7 countries have struggled to remain united on major global crises. Trump’s open support for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his trade tariffs on allied nations have created further divisions.
Still, Zelenskyy emphasized the need for unity. After a deadly Russian attack on Kyiv killed 12 civilians, he said, “underscores the importance of standing in total solidarity with Ukraine,” according to Reuters.
G7 Pushes for Maximum Pressure on Russia
Carney told reporters that G7 leaders had dinner on Monday night, where they agreed on the need to apply “maximum pressure against Russia” to push it toward serious peace talks.
Zelenskyy responded, saying, “We are ready for the peace negotiations, unconditional ceasefire — I think it’s very important. But for this, we need pressure.”
A G7 source told Reuters that Carney would soon issue a post-summit statement calling for tougher sanctions on Russia and supporting US-led peace efforts.
US Remains Ukraine’s Top Supporter
Although Canada remains a loyal ally, Zelenskyy acknowledged that the United States is Ukraine’s biggest weapons supplier. He said he hoped to discuss additional military support directly with Trump.
Trump Leaves Summit Early
Trump left the G7 summit early, citing urgent developments in West Asia. However, he denied that his departure had anything to do with efforts to negotiate a ceasefire between Iran and Israel. His remarks contradicted comments made by French President Emmanuel Macron.
A European diplomat confirmed that the remaining G7 leaders stayed behind to meet Zelenskyy and continue discussions.
Trump Supports De-escalation in the Middle East
Despite leaving early, Trump supported a joint G7 statement. It said, “We urge that the resolution of the Iranian crisis leads to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza.”
The statement also held Iran responsible for destabilizing the region and affirmed Israel’s right to self-defence.
Zelenskyy Focuses on Sanctions and Reconstruction
Zelenskyy had three main goals during the summit:
-
Strengthening Western support
-
Tightening sanctions on Russia
-
Securing reconstruction funds for Ukraine
French President Macron said on Monday, “Our conviction is that if we want to move towards peace, we must indeed demonstrate our resolve together and our ability to go much further with sanctions.”
US, G7 Still Disagree on Key Economic Measures
A European official told Reuters that after Trump’s private talks on Monday, most G7 leaders — including the US — agreed on increasing pressure on Russia. However, a proposal to reduce the Russian oil price cap was dropped due to rising global oil costs.
Trump also repeated his long-standing view that Russia’s removal from the former Group of Eight was a mistake, referring to its 2014 annexation of Crimea.
Kremlin Backs Trump, Mocks G7
Reacting to Trump’s statement, the Kremlin supported his comments and dismissed the relevance of the G7. A Russian official said the group now seemed “rather useless.”
No US Approval Yet for Key G7 Documents
G7 leaders had also prepared joint documents on migration, AI, and critical minerals. But according to sources, none have been approved by the US.
As one European diplomat put it, “Without Trump, it is unclear if there will be any declarations.”
Canada Invites More Countries to Broaden Ties
To reduce dependency on US trade, Prime Minister Carney invited several non-G7 countries to the summit. These included India, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, and Australia.