Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with Ukrainian soldiers as he visits the Wall of Remembrance to pay tribute to killed Ukrainian soldiers, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine June 10, 2023. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko/Pool

Canada commits $500M to support war-torn Ukraine

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced $500 million in new military aid for Ukraine on Saturday during an unannounced trip to war-time Kyiv.

Published on:

11 Jun 2023, 9:16 pm

KYIV (Reuters) -Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced $500 million in new military aid for Ukraine during an unannounced trip to war-time Kyiv on Saturday, as Ukraine girds for a counteroffensive against Russian forces and grapples with regular air strikes.

Trudeau paid his respects at a memorial to Ukrainian soldiers killed fighting pro-Russian forces since 2014, met President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and addressed Ukraine's parliament.

"We will be there with (you) as much as it takes, for as long as it takes," he said, in footage of the talks released by Kyiv authorities, as he sat across from the Ukrainian leader.

NATO member Canada, which has one of the world's largest Ukrainian diasporas, has supplied military and financial assistance to Kyiv since Russia invaded in February 2022.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visits the Wall of Remembrance to pay tribute to killed Ukrainian soldiers, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine June 10, 2023. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko/Pool

Ukraine wants to join the NATO military alliance as fast as it can, but Zelenskiy has recognised that cannot happen while the war with Russia is raging.

"Canada supports Ukraine to become a NATO member as soon as conditions allow for it. Ukraine and Canada look forward to addressing these issues at the NATO Summit in Vilnius in July 2023," said a joint declaration adopted after the talks.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, accompanied by Canada's Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland, visits an exhibition of destroyed vehicles on the day of his visit at the Wall of Remembrance to pay tribute to killed Ukrainian soldiers, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine June 10, 2023. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko/Pool

Trudeau was applauded at length as he spoke in parliament for 25 minutes, denouncing the Russian invasion and praising Ukraine's democratic development.

He said Ukraine's resistance was about "the future of us all. You are the tip of the spear that is determining the future of the 21st century."

Zelenskiy said Ukraine was grateful to Canadians for their support and extended thanks.

As Trudeau visited Kyiv, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly announced that a Russian-registered Antonov-124 cargo plane was seized at Toronto's airport, Ottawa's first such seizure of an asset aimed at putting pressure on Moscow.

The Canadian prime minister was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, a Ukrainian speaker.

(Reporting by Tom Balmforth and Yurii Khomenko; Editing by Mike Harrison, Alex Richardson, Ron Popeski and Cynthia Osterman)