Canada pledged to support Ukraine with “as much as it takes, for as long as it takes” as Russia intensifies its bombing campaign. But as the war in Ukraine nears its two-year mark, concerns are deepening about a slowdown in western aid.
Trudeau “reiterated Canada’s commitment” to Ukraine in a New Year’s Day phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“The two leaders discussed the situation on the ground, as well as Ukraine’s needs over the coming months,” according to the prime minister’s office, but no new aid for Ukraine was announced.
The prime minister, who is on vacation with his family in Jamaica, sent his condolences to Zelenskyy for what he called “the sharp increase in Russia’s indiscriminate attacks, including the targeting of critical civilian infrastructure such as apartments, schools, and hospitals, during a second winter under Russian assault.”
Russian missiles hit Ukraine’s two biggest cities Kyiv and Kharkiv on Tuesday, killing at least five people and injuring around 100.
According to Ukrainian officials, the barrage involved some of Russia’s strongest weapons, like hypersonic missiles, which can fly 10 times the speed of sound.
Ukrainian commander-in-chief Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi said air defences shot down all 10 of the hypersonic missiles.
Since last Friday, the Kremlin has stepped up attacks on Ukraine, including its largest single assault since its invasion.
Zelenskyy pledged to hold Russia responsible for every life lost.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed Ukraine for one of the deadliest assaults on Russian soil since Moscow’s invasion.
On Saturday, shelling in the Russian border city of Belgorod killed more than two dozen people.
Putin vowed the attack would not “go unpunished” and accused western countries of using Ukraine to try to “put Russia in its place.”
The fighting between Russia and Ukraine has intensified, as much of the world’s attention has shifted to the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Trudeau insists Canada and its allies are responding to “Ukraine’s needs,” like “military assistance.”
But the Biden administration has warned it’s running out of money to help Ukraine defend itself.
Last week, the U.S. State Department announced $250 million in arms and equipment to Ukraine, the final such package the U.S. will provide until Congress approves a new round of aid.
— with files from Reuters and The Associated Press