EFE

Toronto.- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made his first official visit to Canada this Friday since the start of the Russian invasion to discuss Ottawa’s support for his country. The president, who is traveling with his wife, Olena Zelenska, began his agenda with a meeting in Ottawa with the Governor General of Canada, Mary Simon, who is head of state, and was later received by the Prime Minister of Canada , Justin Trudeau. , in the Canadian Parliament.

At the start of their bilateral meeting, Trudeau said the Ukrainian leader’s visit shows that Canada supports “everything Ukraine does” and that the country is clearly against “Russia and its violation of peace and stability of the world “. “It’s a very exciting day for Canada to be able to welcome you here,” he added.

For his part, Zelensky thanked the prime minister for his welcome and the support that Trudeau and Canadians have given Ukraine since the Russian invasion began in February 2022. Zelensky also joked that although he knows Canada is “beautiful”, I can’t verify it in person.

PHOTO X @JustinTrudeau

“I don’t have time to see it but I know it’s beautiful. I think after the victory, our common victory, of course I will come back, maybe with my children,” he said with a smile.

Trudeau and Zelensky will address the war in Ukraine and are expected to sign an agreement to strengthen economic relations between the two countries. Later, the Ukrainian president will deliver a speech in the House of Commons of the Canadian Parliament. In the afternoon, Zelensky and Trudeau will travel to Toronto, Canada’s economic capital, to meet with a group of leading businessmen and promote Canadian investment in Ukraine’s reconstruction.

Before leaving Canada, Zelensky will hold a meeting in Toronto with representatives of the Ukrainian community. Approximately 1.4 million Canadians are of Ukrainian origin, almost 4% of the country’s population, including Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland. Canada has become one of Ukraine’s main allies in its war against Russia. Since January 2022, Ottawa has committed more than C$8.9 billion (US$6.615 million) in aid to Kyiv.

Of this figure, approximately 4.95 billion Canadian dollars is made up of direct financial aid and 1.8 billion Canadian dollars in military aid, which includes everything from the delivery of Leopard 2 tanks to air defense systems and more. by artillery, armored vehicles and munitions. In addition, Canada this year provided a loan of 2.4 billion Canadian dollars to Ukraine to meet the country’s budgetary needs. Ottawa has also imposed sanctions on more than 2,600 individuals and entities linked to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine since Moscow authorities illegally annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014.

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