Background on Key Figures and Context
Mark Carney, the Prime Minister of Canada, met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the commemoration of Ukraine’s Independence Day in Kyiv. Carney, who has been in office since March, joined Zelenskyy for the first time in a ceremony at Kyiv’s central square to honor Ukraine’s Independence Day. The event was also attended by Keith Kellogg, the special envoy from U.S. President Donald Trump to Ukraine.
Carney’s Support for Security Guarantees
During their meeting, Carney expressed Canada’s support for Ukraine’s calls for robust security guarantees as part of any peace agreement. He stated that Canada does not rule out sending troops under such a framework, acknowledging the need for international assistance to bolster and strengthen Ukraine’s armed forces.
“It is not realistic to expect that the only security guarantee can be Ukraine’s own armed forces, which need to be supported and reinforced,” Carney said at a joint press conference.
Key Agreements and Aid
Carney and Zelenskyy signed an agreement on drone co-production, and Carney confirmed that Ukraine will receive over a billion Canadian dollars (approximately 723 million US dollars) in military aid within the coming month, as previously announced.
During the ceremony, Zelenskyy awarded Kellogg with a state decoration, stating, “We need peace,” as he presented him with a medal in a leather case.
Later, Kellogg met with Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko, discussing the minerals agreement between the two countries and security guarantees.
Security Guarantees and Military Aid
Zelenskyy was questioned about a Wall Street Journal article alleging that the Pentagon has been discreetly blocking Ukraine’s use of the ATACMS missile, supplied by the United States, to target objectives in Russia.
“Kiev has recently used its own long-range national production weapons to strike targets within Russia, which are not authorized by Washington,” Zelenskyy responded. “We have not discussed this matter with the United States lately.”
Ukraine claimed to have attacked an oil refinery in Russia’s Samara region and a gas fractionation facility in Ust-Luga, a Russian port crucial for energy exports.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the main topic of discussion between Carney and Zelenskyy? They discussed Ukraine’s requests for international security guarantees as part of a potential peace agreement, with Canada not ruling out sending troops.
- What agreements were signed during Carney’s visit? Carney and Zelenskyy signed an agreement on drone co-production.
- What military aid will Ukraine receive from Canada? Ukraine is set to receive over a billion Canadian dollars in military aid within the coming month.
- What were the discussions about between Kellogg and Svyrydenko? They talked about a minerals agreement between their countries and security guarantees.
- What did Zelenskyy say about the use of long-range weapons against Russia? Zelenskyy acknowledged that Ukraine has used its own long-range weapons to target objects within Russia, though these actions are not authorized by the United States.
