The goal of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s trip to Alberta, Canada, for the G7 summit was to mobilize support for Ukraine on a global scale. The trip, expected to fulfill his optimism, was marred by a string of diplomatic setbacks that have raised questions about the West’s resolve to stop Russian aggression.
Early on in the summit, former US President Donald Trump abruptly left the event, citing rising tensions between Iran and Israel in the Middle East. He left just hours before a planned meeting with Zelenskyy, depriving the Ukrainian leader of a crucial opportunity to directly request renewed support from Washington.
Zelenskyy, who had hoped to strengthen Ukraine’s diplomatic position in the face of a renewed Russian offensive, was denied the chance to address the head of Ukraine’s most influential ally directly. The setback was further compounded by reports that the United States had blocked a proposed G7 statement that strongly condemned Russia. According to reports, U.S. officials claimed the wording was excessively severe. Consequently, Canada decided not to issue the statement at all.
When a representative for Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney later denied that any such declaration had been formally drafted, the situation became even murkier. The contradiction brought attention to internal G7 tensions and sparked debate about whether the group was actually in agreement on how to deal with Moscow.
Nevertheless, Zelenskyy was able to get Canada to provide a sizable package of assistance. Ottawa promised Ukraine ~$1.5 billion in new aid, including ammunition, drones, and military helicopters. Despite wider diplomatic tensions, Canadian officials reaffirmed their commitment to Ukraine’s security by confirming their ongoing support through training initiatives and funding for cyber defense.
Zelenskyy expressed his annoyance at the lack of diplomatic unity in a statement that was shared on the Telegram messaging app. He declared that world diplomacy is “in a state of crisis” and pointed the finger at Russian President Vladimir Putin for turning down every international peace proposal. He charged that the Kremlin purposefully obstructed ceasefire proposals and prolonged negotiations.
Additionally, Zelenskyy sent a strong message to the US and to Trump in particular. “The truth is that America still has the broadest global interests and the largest number of allies, even if the American president is not applying enough pressure on Russia at the moment,” he wrote. “We must keep urging President Trump to use his actual power to pressure Putin to stop this war.”
He underlined that the United States had been the one to first suggest ceasefires, peace negotiations, and renewed diplomacy under Trump’s foreign policy, only to have the Kremlin reject each of those initiatives. At a time when Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, are experiencing some of the worst bombardment in months, his comments seemed intended to rekindle U.S. engagement.
At least 22 civilians were killed in one of those attacks, which took place in Kyiv on Tuesday morning and served as a sobering reminder of the high stakes. The new bloodshed gave Zelenskyy’s appeal more immediacy and highlighted Kyiv’s mounting annoyance at what many perceive to be waning Western resolve.
