Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit is aimed at persuading Ottawa to provide more aid to Kyiv.Omar Havana/Getty Images
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is planning a visit to Canada next week, but the trip is not yet finalized, sources from both countries said Wednesday.
Five sources with direct knowledge of the planning said Mr. Zelensky’s government is arranging a visit to Canada midweek.
Three of the sources said the travel will include business and community events in Toronto, for which invitations have already been issued.
However, some of the sources also cautioned that while plans are in the works, the high-level visit could still be called off. The trip is aimed at persuading Ottawa to provide more assistance to Kyiv as it fights off the Russian invasion.
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The Globe and Mail is not identifying the sources, who were not authorized to disclose Mr. Zelensky’s travel plans.
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office declined to comment on the possible visit.
The plans were confirmed by a source in Mr. Zelensky’s office. Another source with knowledge of Mr. Zelensky’s travels said the intention was for the President to visit both Canada and the United States, and that the trip could be called off because of unspecified problems with the planned U.S. leg.
The Ukrainian President would make his visit at a pivotal moment for Europe, with fears growing that Russia is planning to widen the conflict with a direct assault on North Atlantic Treaty Organization member countries.
Mr. Zelensky last visited Canada in December, when he met with Mr. Carney in Halifax.
Ukraine is in its fifth year of the war, which started with a full-scale Russian assault in February, 2022. Against all expectations, the smaller country has held its own against Moscow’s forces. The lengthy war has come at a high cost for Ukraine, with widespread damage and tens of thousands of Ukrainians killed and injured.
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Vadym Prystaiko, a former Ukrainian foreign minister, said Mr. Zelensky’s visit to Canada would aim to persuade the long-time ally that it can and must contribute more to Ukraine’s defence.
“We believe that you guys are flagging a bit. You could do more, you could do much more,” said Mr. Prystaiko, who is also a former Ukrainian ambassador to Ottawa.
He said many Canadians perceive the Russian invasion of Ukraine as something happening far away, rather than a hostile act carried out by a country with which Canada shares a border.
“You are good people, but you believe that you live outside of this world,” he said.
Ukraine relies heavily on financial and military support from other Western countries to sustain its defences.
Canada has provided $6.5-billion in military assistance to Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion, money that will be spent through 2029. However, Mr. Prystaiko noted that since 2025, when U.S. President Donald Trump halted all direct military aid to Ukraine, the European Union has picked up the slack via the new €90-billion Ukraine Support Loan, which has allowed Kyiv to continue purchasing the weapons it needs.
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According to a federal website, Ottawa has also given $13-billion in direct financial support. It has not made any recent announcements of military assistance to Ukraine outside of one in May, when a joint venture between the Canadian company Sentinel R&D Inc. and Airlogix of Ukraine was announced to produce drones for the Ukrainian military at facilities in Canada.
An unspecified number of the new drones will be purchased by the Directorate of Military Assistance Coordination, which is part of the Department of National Defence, and then donated to Ukraine.
Mr. Prystaiko said Canada and Ukraine should work to rapidly deepen their defence co-operation, particularly on drones. He said that while Kyiv was happy with the level of support it received while Justin Trudeau was prime minister, it remains to be seen whether Mr. Carney will maintain the same level of commitment.
As the war drags on, Mr. Zelensky has faced increased domestic pressure for his government’s response to the conflict. This summer, the President bowed to days of protests over changes to senior military ranks and replaced his top general.
Ukraine last held elections in 2019. The country has been under martial law since Russia’s 2022 invasion.