The Power Within: The Kyiv Independent’s first-ever magazine. Be among the first to get it.

pre-order now
Skip to content
Edit post

Canada's Trudeau heads to European defense summit in London

by Olena Goncharova March 2, 2025 3:18 AM 2 min read
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attends the closing press conference during the Summit on Peace in Ukraine on June 16, 2024 in Lucerne, Switzerland. (Sedat Suna/Getty Images)
This audio is created with AI assistance

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau departed for London on March 1 to take part in a European defense summit focused on shaping the conditions for a lasting peace in Ukraine.

The gathering, initially planned as a high-level European meeting, has gained new urgency with President Volodymyr Zelensky’s attendance, following his tense exchange with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Feb. 28.

Zelensky had traveled to Washington expecting to finalize a critical minerals deal with the U.S., but the agreement fell apart after he pushed for security guarantees alongside economic cooperation. Trump responded with visible frustration, escalating tensions between the two leaders and casting doubt on future American support for Kyiv.

The fallout from the meeting has reinforced European concerns about Trump’s stance on Ukraine and prompted fresh discussions on strengthening Europe’s independent defense efforts.

Earlier this month, Trump’s overtures toward Russia alarmed European leaders, accelerating their efforts to enhance Ukraine’s military support.

European governments increasingly view Ukraine’s security as integral to their own, and Sunday’s summit in London is expected to focus on how to fill the gaps left by uncertain U.S. backing. France, Germany, and the U.K. have been leading discussions on increased defense funding and alternative security arrangements for Kyiv.

Canada was not initially listed among the invited participants when U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer outlined plans for the meeting during his recent visit to Washington.

Trudeau’s decision to attend signals Canada’s ongoing commitment to Ukraine and its role in broader transatlantic security discussions. While Ottawa has provided substantial military and financial aid to Kyiv, it remains to be seen what new commitments, if any, Canada will bring to the table.

UK to provide $2.8 billion loan to Ukraine backed by frozen Russian assets
The loan, which is part of the Group of Seven’s (G7) Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) credit initiative, was signed amid President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to London to meet with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

News Feed

5:30 AM

Trump says he may meet Putin 'shortly' after May Middle East visit.

Despite ongoing ceasefire negotiations, Trump and Putin have yet to have direct contact, communicating only through their officials. Trump's last in-person encounter with his Russian counterpart was during the 2018 Helsinki Summit during the U.S. president's first term.
8:08 PM

Ukrainians react to US proposal of recognizing Crimea as Russian.

The U.S. media outlet Axios reported on April 23 that the U.S. President Donald Trump administration's final proposal for ending the Russia-Ukraine war included the U.S. de jure recognizing Russia's annexation of Crimea and de facto recognizing its control of other occupied Ukrainian territories. We asked Kyiv residents for their reactions to the U.S. proposal.
7:21 PM  (Updated: )

Trump says 'nobody is asking' Ukraine to recognize Crimea as Russian.

"Nobody is asking (President Volodymyr) Zelensky to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory, but if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?" U.S. President Donald Trump wrote.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.