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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney made a surprise visit to Kyiv on Sunday to join President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in celebrating Ukraine's Independence Day.
Carney's "debut" in the war zone underscores Canada's role in the "coalition of the willing," the European-led nations providing military support to Ukraine. He also plays a role in a domestic electorate of 1.3 million in Canada, which is home to the second-largest Ukrainian diaspora in the world.
“Canada’s support for Ukraine is unwavering,” Carney said. “We stand with you every step of the way, in your fight to defend your sovereignty and realize your dreams for your country.”
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated in Kiev that he does not rule out the possibility of the presence of Canadian troops in Ukraine, as part of the security guarantees currently being drafted between Ukraine and its allies.
The visit comes amid President Donald Trump's now-stalled peace efforts, which Carney and other Western leaders have applauded. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Friday that Moscow is "not at all ready" for Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet directly with Zelenskyy, something Trump tried to achieve when he hosted the Russian leader in Alaska.
Speaking at a ceremony in Kiev's Sophia Square on Sunday, Carney said Putin is becoming increasingly isolated as Russia's economy weakens. "I commend the transformational leadership of U.S. President Donald Trump in creating opportunities for peace," Carney said.
Carney's arrival in Kiev adds to a historical chain connecting Canada to the war-torn nation, from first welcoming Ukrainian settlers in 1891, to becoming the first Western country to recognize Ukraine as a country in December 1991, to Ottawa's now decade-long mission to lead the training of Ukraine's military to repel Russian invaders.
Canada has given shelter to 300,000 Ukrainians since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 sparked the worst conflict in Europe since World War II.
Carney's European trip continues in Poland and Latvia this week, where he will meet with Polish, Latvian and NATO officials, as well as Canadian Forces personnel in both countries.
The base is where Canada leads a multinational NATO brigade in its largest foreign military deployment. Canada has trained 45,000 Ukrainian troops through NATO's Operation Unification, beginning shortly after Russia's illegal annexation of the Crimean Peninsula. The training moved to Poland after Russia's full occupation in February 2022.
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