President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Canada in an attempt to shore up support from Ukraine's allies amid destructive Russian drone and missile attacks on Kyiv and other major cities.The Ukrainian leader arrived in the western city of Calgary late on September 9 after a visit to Norway for the funeral of King Harald V and talks on air defense support. Zelenskyy’s plane was delayed on its way to Oslo after an alert in Moldova that a Russian drone had entered the nearby airspace.“Canada remains one of our closest partners," wrote on X after his arival in Canada. "We value the support of the Canadian people and the decisions that help Ukraine to withstand the war and to protect our people.”
Moscow has stepped up its air war in recent months, using ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones that have taken advantage of Ukraine’s dwindling air defenses. The attacks also have targeted Ukraine’s power grid ahead of the upcoming winter in what appears to be part of a campaign to demoralize civilians after more than four years of war.
Zelenskyy and his wife, Olena Zelenska, are set to attend events in Calgary, Toronto, and North Bay, as well as a meeting with Canadian cabinet members in Banff, Alberta.Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a statement on September 9 that that Zelenskyy's visit "will focus on shared priorities between Canada and Ukraine, including deepening defense, economic, and energy cooperation.""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," the statement said, adding that Canada "remains steadfast in our commitment to support Ukraine's defense, recovery, and reconstruction."On his way to Canada, Zelenskyy made a stopover in Iceland, where he met with the country’s foreign minister, Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir. At the center of the conversation was protecting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and strengthening its air defenses.
