Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said Canada and Ukraine are in the final stages of reaching an agreement on security “guarantees” for the countries facing conflict.
He spoke from Ukraine in an interview broadcast on Sunday. rosemary burton live, Joly said the agreement would be a landmark moment for Ukraine. Similar agreements are expected to be concluded with other G7 countries.
Canada has already sent a draft proposal for guarantees to Kyiv, and Joly said she is in Ukraine to help finalize the deal. Last year, the G7 committed to a deal that included commitments for military aid and training to Ukraine. Details of Canada’s proposal are not yet clear.
“I’m here to push to get to the finish line. I think we’ll be able to reach a conclusion within the next few weeks,” he told CBC chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton. .
Jolie was in Ukraine to meet with key officials and tour parts of the region devastated by Russian attacks. The war is coming to an end in its second year of full-scale conflict. Much of the south and east of the country remains under Russian occupation, and the front is largely stable compared to the earlier stages of the war.
Ukraine continues to seek further international support in the form of funds and weapons, as well as long-term security commitments and eventual NATO membership. US President Joe Biden has said that Ukraine’s membership in NATO must wait until the current conflict is over.
“Until the war ends someday and Ukraine joins NATO, we need to make sure that Ukraine is strong and has sufficient security and deterrence to ensure that Russia does not rearm. We know, and we will invade again,” Jolie said. “Because we know that Russia remains a very dangerous country.”
Russia claims that a security agreement with Ukraine will further escalate tensions and destabilize Europe.
Canadian language on this issue continues to emphasize “guarantee” rather than “guarantee”