Ukraine's Independence Day: Zelenskiy Welcomes Canadian PM for Support and Security Guarantees

Ukraine's Independence Day Marked with International Support

• 🇺🇦 Ukraine celebrated its Independence Day with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy leading the commemorations, three and a half years after the Russian invasion.
• 🇨🇦 Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney joined the celebrations, marking his first visit as prime minister, which Zelenskiy called a significant honor.

Security Guarantees and Military Aid

• 🤝 Carney pledged continued support for Ukraine and urged deterrence against Russia, emphasizing the importance of robust security guarantees as part of any peace deal.
• 💰 Ukraine is set to receive over $722 million in military aid next month from a previously announced package.
• 🤝 An agreement on drone co-production between Ukraine and Canada was signed.

Diplomatic Efforts and Peace Discussions

• 🕊️ US Special Ukraine Envoy Keith Kellogg was present and received a state honor from Zelenskiy, who stated, "We need peace."
• 🇺🇸 Despite previous efforts by US President Donald Trump to reach a peace deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin, no agreement was produced.
• 🇺🇸 Ukraine's prime minister discussed a US-Ukraine minerals agreement and security guarantees with Kellogg.

Ukraine's Stance on Strikes Inside Russia

• 🎯 When asked about reports of Washington denying Kyiv permission to strike targets inside Russia with US-supplied weapons, Zelenskiy stated Ukraine uses its domestically produced long-range weapons and has not recently discussed such issues with the US.

Global Messages of Support

• 🌍 Ukraine received Independence Day messages from world leaders including Pope Leo, Britain's King Charles, and Chinese President Xi Jinping.