{"id":17978,"date":"2025-02-23T22:14:43","date_gmt":"2025-02-23T22:14:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/torontotribune.ca\/index.php\/2025\/02\/23\/trudeau-expected-to-travel-to-ukraine-as-envoy-calls-on-canada-to-step-up-national\/"},"modified":"2025-02-23T22:14:43","modified_gmt":"2025-02-23T22:14:43","slug":"trudeau-expected-to-travel-to-ukraine-as-envoy-calls-on-canada-to-step-up-national","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/torontotribune.ca\/index.php\/2025\/02\/23\/trudeau-expected-to-travel-to-ukraine-as-envoy-calls-on-canada-to-step-up-national\/","title":{"rendered":"Trudeau expected to travel to Ukraine as envoy calls on Canada to \u2018step up\u2019 – National"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau<\/a> will join world leaders in Kyiv on Monday as Ukraine<\/a> marks the third anniversary of Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy<\/a> said, as a Ukrainian diplomat urged Canada to \u201cstep up\u201d its support.<\/p>\n

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Zelenskyy confirmed during a news conference in Kyiv Sunday evening that he will meet with Trudeau in person \u2013 one of 13 foreign leaders attending a summit on peace and security for Ukraine.<\/p>\n

\u201cCanadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be here with a visit tomorrow,\u201d Zelenskyy said in Ukrainian.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is chairing the G7 at the moment so he will tell me what is happening with the relationship with the U.S.\u201d<\/p>\n

The news conference was translated into English by Ukrainian broadcaster UATV.<\/p>\n

The Prime Minister\u2019s Office has not publicly confirmed Trudeau\u2019s trip and did not respond to questions about Zelenskyy\u2019s remarks Sunday.<\/p>\n

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This would be Trudeau\u2019s fourth visit to Ukraine since the war began, and will almost certainly be his last as Canada\u2019s prime minister. He has said he will step down after a new Liberal leader is chosen on March 9.<\/p>\n

Zelenskyy said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and delegates from Nordic and Baltic countries are also attending Monday\u2019s summit in person, and two dozen leaders will join virtually.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is an important opportunity to discuss Ukraine\u2019s strategy and the framework for security guarantees,\u201d Zelenskyy said.<\/p>\n

Ukraine\u2019s allies are seeking to shore up support for the war-torn country as U.S. President Donald Trump pushes for an agreement to end the war. Trump administration officials have held talks with Russia without Ukraine at the table, and are signalling that an eventual deal could see Moscow keep at least some of the territory it has occupied since it originally invaded Ukraine in 2014.<\/p>\n

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The U.S. has also appeared to accept Russia\u2019s position that Ukraine should never join NATO, and is pushing Ukraine to give access to its critical minerals as compensation for American military aid.<\/p>\n

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Zelenskyy said Sunday a deal with the U.S. on minerals was making progress, and that he would be ready to give up the presidency if doing so would achieve a lasting peace for his country under NATO\u2019s security.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf to achieve peace, you really need me to give up my post, I\u2019m ready,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Responding to a journalist\u2019s question on whether he\u2019d trade his office for peace, Zelenskyy said, \u201cI can trade it for NATO.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Both Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have called for elections in Ukraine, which have been suspended under the martial law Zelenskyy imposed when Russia invaded in 2022. Trump has called Zelenskyy a \u201cdictator;\u201d Zelenskyy had accused Trump of living in a \u201cdisinformation space,\u201d angering U.S. officials.<\/p>\n

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Oleh Nikolenko, Ukraine\u2019s consul general in Toronto, told Global News the rhetoric coming from the U.S. is \u201ccounterproductive\u201d and will only serve as \u201can invitation (for Russia) to commit more aggression.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ukrainian officials said Russia launched 267 strike drones into Ukraine overnight on Saturday, more than in any other single attack of the war. Moscow has continued to fire ballistic missiles on Ukraine, including at least three on Sunday, as its officials hold talks with Washington.<\/p>\n

Nikolenko said Ukrainian negotiators are pushing for security guarantees from the U.S. as part of any economic or minerals deal.<\/p>\n

Trump and his advisors are calling on Europe to take the lead on shoring up security for Ukraine, which European leaders have said they are willing to do and Ukrainians say they are welcoming.<\/p>\n

Canada also needs to be part of these security conversations, Nikolenko said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe think that at this time, it\u2019s really high time for Canada to play a leadership role,\u201d he said. \u201cCanada can really fill several gaps right now: military support, humanitarian, demining, training of our forces.<\/p>\n