Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is visiting our country.
"Thank you for being with us in Ukraine on this day. We are grateful for all your support over these two years – it is very important and very powerful," said the Head of the Ukrainian state.
At the meeting, the leaders signed the Security Cooperation Agreement between Ukraine and Canada.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy highly appreciated the signing of the document, noting that it lays a reliable foundation for long-term and deepened partnership between the states.
"It's a robust and timely decision, being an important contribution to strengthening our resilience," he said.
The agreement establishes a Canadian-Ukrainian strategic security partnership, indentifying areas for enhancing bilateral cooperation in various fields, including defense, stability, and resilience.
The document provides for Canada's allocation of over CAD 3 billion in macro-financial and defense assistance to Ukraine in 2024.
Additionally, the document confirms Canada's support for Ukraine's future membership in NATO, including by promoting Ukrainian reforms and aligning Ukraine's security and defense forces with the Alliance.
The agreement establishes a mechanism for 24-hour emergency response in the event of renewed military aggression against Ukraine, and includes assistance to our country in strengthening its own capabilities to properly respond to possible escalation of aggression from Russia.
The document is valid for ten years from the date of its signing and provides for the possibility of review by the partners if Ukraine joins NATO before the end of its term.
At the meeting, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Justin Trudeau also discussed the provision of new missile defense systems, production, and transfer of armored vehicles within a multi-year assistance program to Ukraine for protecting Ukrainian soldiers and their medical evacuation.
The President thanked Canada for its contribution to providing Ukrainian defense forces with drones, armored vehicles, ammunition, and assistance in infrastructure development for F-16 fighter jets.
The interlocutors also discussed preparations for the July NATO summit in Washington, bilateral energy projects, including nuclear energy, and Canada's and Canadian businesses' participation in post-war reconstruction in Ukraine.
The special role of Canada in creating and coordinating the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children illegally taken by the aggressor was noted.
The President emphasized the importance of Canada's decision today to provide funding for the completion of the Museum of the Holodomor-Genocide in Ukraine and thanked the Canadian government and the Ukrainian community for their support.
