Zelensky arrives in Calgary ahead of Carney meeting

Bill Graveland Calgary The Canadian Press Published 3 hours ago Open this photo in gallery: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena Zelenska arrive at Calgary International Airport on Wednesday, a day before Zelensky is set to meet Prime Minister Mark Carney. Todd Korol/Reuters Comments Save for laterPlease log in to bookmark this story. Log InCreate Free Account Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky landed in Calgary on Wednesday night ahead of a scheduled meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney. They are set to meet in the city Thursday morning, and Zelensky is to later address a cabinet meeting in the nearby mountain resort town of Banff, Alta. Carney said the visit will focus on the countries’ shared priorities, including deepening defence, economic and energy co-operation. “It will also address the human cost of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and build on the strong people-to-people ties that connect our countries,” Carney said in a statement. “Canada remains steadfast in our commitment to support Ukraine’s defence, recovery and reconstruction.” Zelensky and his wife, Olena Zelenska, are also set to visit Toronto and North Bay, Ont., before leaving Friday. It’s Zelensky’s first visit to Canada this year. He was in Halifax in December amid efforts to end the war that Russia started in 2014. Carney visited Kyiv in August 2025, and his predecessor Justin Trudeau visited Ukraine each year after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Kyiv has suffered a barrage of Russian air strikes in recent months, and Ukraine has pleaded for more air defence support from its allies. Since 2022, Canada has pledged $6.5 billion in military assistance for Ukraine running through to 2029. Opinion: Ukrainians see a different Zelensky – one who needs to be reformed Members of Parliament across party lines have put Ukraine at the centre of their foreign policy platforms. In May, Canada joined an agreement to learn from Ukrainian drone producers. Ottawa has made no new funding announcements for Ukraine since then. The Kiel Institute, which measures global contributions to Ukraine, pegs Canada as the fourth most generous in raw dollars and in 12th place based on gross domestic product. Canada’s donations include military aid, government financing and humanitarian support. Ukraine has managed in recent months to hold back Russian advances and strike targets within Russia, including oil refineries and warehouses owned by Russia’s biggest online retailer. Moscow has at times hinted at an end to the conflict.