Carney backs Ukraine role in peace talks in calls with Zelenskyy, Starmer – National

Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke with the leaders of Ukraine and Britain on Monday amid a flurry of international diplomatic efforts to shore up support for Ukraine ahead of negotiations between the U.S. and Russia aimed toward a peace deal.

Carney’s conversations came as U.S. President Donald Trump previewed his approach to Friday’s planned summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, and suggested Kyiv and Moscow will both have to cede land to end the three-and-a-half-year war in Ukraine.

A readout from the Prime Minister’s Office of Carney’s call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — who has yet to be invited to the upcoming talks — said the two leaders “agreed on the categorical imperatives of ending Russia’s barbaric war” to achieve a lasting peace.

“The two leaders underscored that decisions on the future of Ukraine must be made by Ukrainians, that international borders cannot be changed by force, that diplomatic engagement must be reinforced by continued pressure on Russia to end its aggression, and the need for robust and credible security to enable Ukraine to defend its territorial integrity and sovereignty,” the readout said.

It added Carney and Zelenskyy “welcomed the leadership of President Trump and the United States in working toward securing peace in Ukraine,” but also noted Carney endorsed a joint statement by European leaders on Saturday that emphasized Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must be protected.

“Prime Minister Carney affirmed Canada’s steadfast support for Ukraine,” the readout said, pointing to billions of dollars in newly-committed military aid and last week’s move to lower the price cap on Russian oil alongside European partners.

Carney and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also spoke on Monday and welcomed diplomatic efforts toward peace “and agreed that this must be built with Ukraine — not imposed upon it,” according to a readout from Downing Street. The PMO has yet to provide its own readout of the call with Starmer.

Ukraine’s European allies have been pushing for Ukraine’s involvement in U.S. talks with Russia over fears that a negotiated deal could otherwise favour Moscow.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Monday that “transatlantic unity, support to Ukraine and pressure on Russia” were needed to end the war and “prevent future Russian aggression in Europe.”

Trump told reporters on Monday that his upcoming talks with Putin will be “really a feel-out meeting,” adding he would know “probably in the first two minutes” whether progress was possible toward ending the war.

Trump also said “there’ll be some land swapping going on” that will be “for the good of Ukraine,” but also acknowledged there will be “some bad stuff for both” sides.

“It’s good and there’s bad, but it’s very complex because you have lines that are very uneven and there’ll be some swapping,” he said.

“Russia’s occupied a big portion of Ukraine. They’ve occupied some very prime territory. We’re going to try and get some of that territory back for Ukraine.”

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Putin is expected to be unwavering in his demands to keep all the territory his forces now occupy and to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO, with the long-term aim of returning it to Moscow’s sphere of influence.

Zelenskyy has strongly condemned suggestions that Ukraine should have to give up any territory seized by Russia, noting Ukraine’s territorial borders are enshrined in the country’s constitution and any changes will need to be approved democratically by the Ukrainian people.

Trump said Monday he’s “a little bit bothered” by that.

He also said that, after his meeting with Putin, “The next meeting will be with Zelenskyy and Putin” but it could also be a meeting with “Putin and Zelenskyy and me.”

Zelenskyy warned on Monday that any concessions to Russia would not persuade it to stop fighting and more pressure was needed on the Kremlin, which he noted was showing no signs it was preparing to wind down its military operations.

“Russia refuses to stop the killings, and therefore must not receive any rewards or benefits,” he wrote on X.

“Concessions do not persuade a killer.”

Zelenskyy’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak said he spoke to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday, posting on X that lasting peace requires “an unconditional ceasefire as a prerequisite for substantive negotiations.”

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz invited Zelenskyy, Trump and a number of European leaders to meetings on Wednesday, his office said Monday. Other invitees included U.S. Vice-President JD Vance, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and the leaders of France, Italy, Britain, Finland and Poland.

Carney’s office and the office of Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand have not responded to questions about whether Canada has been invited to take part.

—With files from the Canadian Press, The Associated Press and Reuters

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