Ukraine's Zelensky in Canada to shore up support

OTTAWA, Canada — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Ottawa on Friday, seeking to rally support for his country as it fights the Russian invasion.

Zelensky landed in the capital Ottawa late Thursday, following a visit to the United States where he won warm words of support and weapons from US President Joe Biden, but also confronted skeptical Republicans who want to cut off aid.

Canada has provided Ukraine with almost $9 billion in military and other aid since the Russian invasion began in February 2022.

"The Ukrainian people are the tip of the spear that is determining the future of the 21st century. Canada remains unwavering in our support to the people of Ukraine," Trudeau said in a statement ahead of Zelensky's arrival.

The Ukrainian president will meet Trudeau in Ottawa, where Zelensky will also address parliament before the pair head to Toronto for meetings with business leaders and members of the Ukrainian-Canadian community, the Canadian government said.

Canada is home to the world's second-largest Ukrainian diaspora after Russia, with about 1.36 million people of Ukrainian origin living here, according to government data.

Canada's $8.9 billion in aid to Ukraine has included more than $1.8 billion in military aid, including Leopard 2 tanks, air defense and artillery systems, anti-tank weapons, drones and other equipment.

It has also trained more than 36,000 Ukrainian soldiers.

'We're with you'

On Thursday, Zelensky confronted potentially fracturing political support in the United States for his country's demands for more arms to push back the Russian invasion.

"We're with you and we're staying with you," Biden told Zelensky after their top teams met at