{"id":17766,"date":"2025-02-20T22:31:16","date_gmt":"2025-02-20T22:31:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/torontotribune.ca\/index.php\/2025\/02\/20\/ukraine-must-be-part-of-peace-talks-trudeau-says-in-call-with-zelenskyy-national\/"},"modified":"2025-02-20T22:31:16","modified_gmt":"2025-02-20T22:31:16","slug":"ukraine-must-be-part-of-peace-talks-trudeau-says-in-call-with-zelenskyy-national","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/torontotribune.ca\/index.php\/2025\/02\/20\/ukraine-must-be-part-of-peace-talks-trudeau-says-in-call-with-zelenskyy-national\/","title":{"rendered":"Ukraine \u2018must\u2019 be part of peace talks, Trudeau says in call with Zelenskyy – National"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau<\/a> reaffirmed Canada\u2019s position that Ukraine<\/a> \u201cmust\u201d be included in negotiations to end Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion during a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy<\/a> on Thursday, the Prime Minister\u2019s Office said.<\/p>\n

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The call was held days after the U.S. held a first round of bilateral talks with Russian officials about ending the war, and as U.S. President Donald Trump increasingly attacks Zelenskyy \u2014 rhetoric the White House has refused to walk back.<\/p>\n

\u201cPrime Minister Trudeau reiterated that Canada will always stand in defence of Ukraine and emphasized that there can be no sustainable peace in Europe without security for Ukraine,\u201d a readout of the call provided by the PMO said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe leaders stressed that any peaceful end to the conflict must include Ukraine at the negotiating table.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trudeau and Zelenskyy also discussed efforts to secure \u201ca lasting peace that enables a strong, democratic, and prosperous Ukraine,\u201d according to the readout.<\/p>\n

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The past week has seen a flurry of events<\/a> that has left Ukraine and European leaders feeling sidelined from talks to end the nearly three-year-long war, as well as growing concern over Trump\u2019s comments about Ukraine.<\/p>\n

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Officials from Washington and Moscow, after holding talks in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, said the meeting was a first step and that the U.S.-Russia relationship needed repairing before Ukraine can be brought into future peace negotiations.<\/p>\n

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On Wednesday, Trump described Zelenskyy as a \u201cdictator\u201d<\/a> and warned that he \u201cbetter move fast\u201d to negotiate an end to the war or risk not having a nation to lead. NATO allies have condemned any questioning of Zelenskyy\u2019s legitimacy as Ukraine\u2019s elected leader.<\/p>\n

The day before that, Trump said Ukraine \u201cshould have never started\u201d the conflict, which began in 2022 when Russia invaded its neighbour. Ukraine has sought to defend itself from Moscow\u2019s onslaught ever since with the help of military and financial aid from the U.S., Europe and Canada.<\/p>\n

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Asked about Trump\u2019s hostility Thursday at a press briefing, White House national security adviser Mike Waltz said it reflects the administration\u2019s growing frustration with what they see as Zelenskyy creating roadblocks in the path to peace.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis frustration with President Zelenskyy that you heard is multifold,\u201d Waltz said Thursday of Trump.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere needs to be a deep appreciation for what the American people and the American taxpayer, what President Trump did in his first term and what we\u2019ve done since. There\u2019s some of the rhetoric coming out of Kyiv, frankly, and insults to President Trump (that) were unacceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Waltz said Trump is frustrated that Zelenskyy rejected an offer presented last week by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that would have given the U.S. access to Ukraine\u2019s critical minerals as repayment for U.S. support during the war, as well as future aid for Ukraine.<\/p>\n

Zelenskyy has said<\/a> the deal asked more of Ukraine than it has received from the U.S. and did not include any specific security guarantees.<\/p>\n