Canada wants to participate in talks on Ukraine's security guarantees, official says

Canada is interested in partaking in conversations about security guarantees for Ukraine, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said on Feb. 18.

"We want to be part of these conversations regarding security guarantees," Joly told reporters in Brussels on Feb. 18.

"We want to be part of conversations linked to more Canadians being involved in protecting Ukraine."

Joly's comments come a day before Canada is set to join European countries for a high-level summit in Paris, where leaders will discuss security options for Ukraine. The summit comes on the heels of a Feb. 18 meeting between U.S. and Russian delegations in Saudi Arabia that did not include Ukraine.

Canada is asking the U.S. to keep Ukraine at the table in any talks with Russia, Joly said.

The West cannot "let Russia go unchecked," she said.

"Many Canadians have been inspired by what is going on in Ukraine because we know they're fighting for the right reasons."

The election of U.S. President Donald Trump has disrupted the Western alliance supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia. Trump has said he expects Europe to replace the U.S. as Kyiv's chief source of military aid, and that the U.S. will not send troops to Ukraine as part of any future Western peacekeeping force.

Canada, home to one of the world's largest Ukrainian populations, has been a key ally of Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Ottawa has provided over $3 billion in military assistance to Kyiv, including advanced weaponry, drones, and vehicles.