National Newswatch

Zelenskyy comes to Ottawa as Ukraine scrambles to shore up allies’ support

Sep 22 2023 — Murray Brewster — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was welcomed Friday morning to Parliament Hill — where experts say he can expect a political reception less chilly than the one he experienced recently in Washington D.C. “I have a lot of words, warm words and thanks from Ukraine to you, your beautiful country,” Zelenskyy said ahead of a bilateral […]

Business council says CSIS should start warning private companies of foreign interference

Sep 7 2023 — Murray Brewster — One of the country’s leading business voices warned Thursday that Canada’s economic security faces external threats — and called on Ottawa to give its spies the power to share intelligence with private firms being targeted for foreign interference. The Business Council of Canada, composed of chief executives and entrepreneurs in the country’s major companies, issued […]

Fallout from U.S. cluster munitions decision strains NATO unity over Ukraine

Jul 11 2023 — Murray Brewster — NATO leaders gathered in Lithuania’s capital on Tuesday after spending the days running up to their annual summit bulldozing some of the most contentious and divisive issues — including defence spending and Sweden’s proposed membership in the military alliance — off the agenda. However, concern about the decision by the United States to provide cluster […]

Ukraine looks to Trudeau to play key role in NATO membership bid

Jul 8 2023 — Murray Brewster — More than 500 days after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the embattled country’s political leaders say they expect Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to be in their corner at next week’s NATO summit. The leaders of the western military alliance are set to debate the timing and conditions of Ukraine’s admission to NATO. Some […]

U.K. defence secretary urges Canada to hit NATO military spending target

Jun 29 2023 — Murray Brewster — Britain’s defence secretary delivered a polite but pointed reminder Thursday of NATO’s expectations of its member states — including Canada — when it comes to defence spending. And Ben Wallace did it in front of his Canadian counterpart, Defence Minister Anita Anand. The two met in London as part of Anand’s visit to the United […]

Ukraine knocks — again — on NATO’s door. Who will answer?

Jun 12 2023 — Murray Brewster — When the subject of security guarantees and a pathway for Ukraine to join NATO was discussed at an informal function in Ottawa recently, one member of the diplomatic community started humming a few bars from an old Paul McCartney and Wings song. “Someone’s knockin’ at the door. Someone’s ringin’ the bell. Do me favour? Open […]

Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirms counteroffensive against Russia is taking place

Jun 11 2023 — Murray Brewster — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appears to have acknowledged that his country’s long-awaited counteroffensive to drive Russian forces out of the occupied eastern and southern regions has begun. It was, however, a muted recognition. Zelenskyy — who is often a master communicator and always in charge of his country’s narrative — seemed to adhere to the […]

Trudeau commits $500M more in military aid during surprise visit to Kyiv

Jun 10 2023 — Murray Brewster — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau paid a surprise visit to Kyiv on Saturday and announced $500 million more in Canadian military aid as Ukraine has stepped up its long-anticipated counteroffensive to drive Russia’s army out of occupied eastern and southern regions of the battered country. Earlier in the day, Trudeau, who was accompanied by Deputy Prime […]

Zelenskyy and Trudeau meet face-to-face at G7 in Japan

May 21 2023 — Murray Brewster — ‘I want to thank you, your government, also Canadian people for supporting us,’ Ukraine president says. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met Volodymyr Zelenskyy early Sunday on the margins of the Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima, Japan, where the leaders of the world’s leading democratic economies heard a dramatic in-person appeal from the Ukrainian president […]

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