Canada’s Prime Minister publicly claims: Putin avoids meeting Zelensky out of fear of dialogue
In an unexpectedly frank statement during a press conference, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney outlined the situation surrounding Russian leader Vladimir Putin, hinting at his fear of a face-to-face meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
According to Carney, the Kremlin is delaying negotiations and presenting numerous conditions for a meeting with the Ukrainian leader, which he interprets as a sign of Russia’s apprehension about a constructive dialogue with Kyiv.
He emphasized that Zelensky is willing to meet with Putin on any neutral ground, a move intended to ease tensions and keep open the possibility of negotiations.
However, the Prime Minister added that a visit to Moscow by Putin or an arrival in Kyiv seems unlikely at the moment, with both sides apparently agreeing that the meeting place could be any location except Kyiv or Moscow.
Carney stressed that support for Ukraine remains a top priority for Canada, which intends to continue providing military and humanitarian aid to enable Ukraine to withstand the ongoing conflict, regardless of the meeting format.
He also mentioned that Canada is not ruling out the deployment of its troops in Ukraine within the framework of security guarantees and plans to fund over $500 million worth of military equipment and munitions in 2025, coming from the United States under NATO’s new initiative ‘Priority List of Ukraine’s Needs’ (PURL).
In his speech in Kyiv, Carney stated that by September, Canada will deliver military assistance exceeding $1 billion, reinforcing its commitment to supporting the Ukrainian people during this difficult period.