...
By Adeola Adeosun
Weekend Night Editor
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Halifax on Saturday during a stopover before traveling to the United States for peace talks with President Donald Trump, according to the CBC.
During the meeting, Carney announced an additional $2.5 billion CAD ($1.8 billion USD) in economic aid for Ukraine in its fight against Moscow, which he said will help the country unlock financing from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.
The meeting came hours after Russia launched a massive attack on Kyiv with ballistic missiles and drones, killing at least one person and wounding 27, including two children, according to the Associated Press.
Read More on News
Newsweek reached out to Carney's office via email on Saturday for comment.
Why It Matters
Saturday's meeting represents a critical juncture in efforts to end the nearly four-year conflict between Ukraine and Russia. The Canadian aid package provides crucial financial support as Ukraine navigates high-stakes negotiations while facing continued Russian aggression, demonstrated by Saturday's deadly assault on the country's capital.
The talks come as both sides signal potential progress, with Zelensky stating Friday that a potential U.S.-Ukraine agreement is "90 percent ready," though territorial questions remain the biggest sticking point.
The announced Sunday meeting between Trump and Zelensky is the latest step in a U.S.-led diplomatic effort to end the war, which has been hindered by sharply conflicting demands from Moscow and Kyiv. Trump has pursued talks aimed at ending the conflict, but negotiations have yet to bridge those differences.
What To Know
Russia targeted Ukraine with 519 drones and 40 missiles on Saturday, Ukraine's air force said. The Russian Defense Ministry said it carried out a "massive strike" using "long-range precision-guided weapons from land, air and sea, including Kinzhal hypersonic aeroballistic missiles" and drones, targeting energy infrastructure facilities used by Ukraine's forces and military-industrial enterprises, according to the AP.
However, more than 10 residential buildings were damaged, Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said. The attacks hit seven locations across the capital and knocked out electricity and heating in some districts. A fire broke out in an 18-story residential building in the Dnipro district, and a 24-story residential building in the Darnytsia district was also struck.
Poland scrambled fighter jets and temporarily closed airports in Lublin and Rzeszow near the border with Ukraine during Russia's attacks, though there was no violation of Polish airspace.
Zelensky told reporters in Kyiv that he and Trump will discuss security guarantees for Ukraine, an "economic agreement," and "territorial issues" during Sunday's talks, particularly concerning the Donetsk region and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Speaking by audio note in a WhatsApp chat with journalists, Zelensky said he would prioritize discussing security guarantees and aim to ensure there were "as few unresolved issues as possible" while respecting Ukraine's red lines, the AP reported.
He has indicated that in the draft peace plan, the U.S. has committed to providing guarantees that mirror Article V of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which means an attack on Ukraine would trigger a collective military response from the U.S. and its allies. However, key details must be worked out in a bilateral agreement.
Earlier this week, Zelensky indicated willingness to withdraw troops from Ukraine's eastern industrial heartland as part of a peace plan, but only if Russia also pulls back and the area becomes a demilitarized zone monitored by international forces. Moscow has demanded that Ukraine relinquish remaining territory in the Donbas region where Russia has captured most of Luhansk and approximately 70 percent of Donetsk.
Zelensky spoke with Carney by phone on Friday, updating the prime minister "on the status of our diplomatic efforts with the United States," the CBC reported. The prime minister's office confirmed Saturday's meeting, which began at approximately 1 p.m. AT (Atlantic Time).
...
What People Are Saying
Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters on Saturday: "Under President Zelensky's leadership, we have the conditions, the possibility of a just and lasting peace."
He added: "The barbarism that we saw overnight, the attack of Kyiv, shows just how important that we stand with Ukraine during this difficult time."
President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters on Saturday: "This attack is Russia's answer on our peace efforts. It really shows that (President Vladimir) Putin doesn't want peace."
He added: "In the coming days, much can be accomplished both bilaterally between Ukraine and the United States, as well as with our Coalition of the Willing partners. It is critical that we jointly and constructively bolster Ukraine's ability to protect life, reinforce our front-line positions and enhance the effectiveness of the negotiation process. Right now, it is Russia that is dragging its feet and trying to waste time."
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Tass: “The U.S. peace plan for Ukraine is not meant for public entertainment, but for scrupulous and painstaking work that should produce a positive result.”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the CBC: "It was agreed upon to continue the dialogue."
What Happens Next
Zelensky will meet with Trump on Sunday to present his 20-point peace plan and discuss security guarantees, economic agreements, and territorial issues.
Reporting from the Associated Press contributed to this article.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines