Manitoba commits to help reconstruction in region of war-torn Ukraine
CALGARY — The Manitoba government has signed an agreement with an area of Ukraine to support reconstruction efforts.
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Premier Wab Kinew made the announcement in Calgary following the G7 leaders' summit in nearby Kananaskis.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had been scheduled to meet with Kinew but left early.
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Zelenskyy told the G7 that overnight Russian attacks killed 15 and injured more than 150 in Ukraine and he called for support from allies.
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Kinew signed a memorandum of understanding to support the southern Kherson region, which is partly occupied by Russian forces.
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The premier says the partnership reflects Manitoba's unwavering support for Ukraine, as the province has welcomed more than 30,000 Ukrainians since the Russian invasion began in 2022.
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'Our province is home to a vibrant Ukrainian community that has contributed immensely to our cultural and economic fabric,' Kinew said in a statement Tuesday.
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'Through this MOU, we are deepening our ties and standing in solidarity with Kherson. We are committed to helping Ukraine rebuild during the war and as a free country after.'
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The agreement calls for collaboration in areas including agriculture, economic development, education and health care.
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Toronto Star
3 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Mark Carney and world leaders unable to convince Donald Trump to sign joint G7 declaration of support for Ukraine
KANANASKIS, Alta. — The G7 group of world leaders emerged from its Canadian summit without a joint statement against Russia, showing that achieving unity is a lot harder than it looks. Prime Minister Mark Carney and other world leaders around the table could not persuade U.S. President Donald Trump, before he left for Washington, to sign on to a joint declaration of support for Ukraine that contained 'strong language' that Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Britain, Japan and the European Union all wanted to exert pressure on Russia, according to a Canadian official who briefed reporters Tuesday afternoon before Carney addressed a closing news conference. However Carney later downplayed the absence of a joint G7 declaration on Ukraine, and denied there was any split or disagreement in the G7 ranks. He suggested that the leaders simply agreed that, before Trump took off, the more urgent priority to agree upon was a joint declaration on Iran, and there were no insurmountable differences. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Leaders of the G7 nations gather for a photo in Kananaskis, Alta., joined by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. U.S. President Donald Trump left the summit the day before to deal with the war between Iran and Israel. (June 17, 2025 / The Canadian Press) That didn't align with information provided earlier to Canadian reporters during a background briefing with a senior government official who said the American side wanted to 'water down' a Ukraine declaration because it would impede U.S. ability to broker an end to the Russia-Ukraine war. The official briefed reporters on condition they not be identified in order to discuss the dynamic behind closed doors, and was only authorized to provide limited details. Late Tuesday, after Carney spoke, the PMO sought to clarify the record. PMO spokesperson Emily Williams in a statement to reporters said that Canada had not proposed a joint G7 document as such, only a 'chair's summary' to other delegations. 'No proposed joint statement regarding Ukraine was distributed. Canada's intention was always for the important language to be a part of the G7 Chairs' Summary Statement, and it was.' Another G7 source said the fault lines on any Ukraine statement were clear as early as last Friday. However Carney, visibly relaxed if not relieved following what he described as a successful summit, said 'I was in the room' and described a successful two days of meetings that produced six other joint statements supported by the G7 leaders and others. On Ukraine, he pointed to a 'chair's summary' that hadn't by then been published which included a single paragraph on Ukraine that Carney insisted represented G7 unity, reading out from it to dispute media questions on 'the minutiae' of the Ukraine discussion. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'G7 Leaders expressed support for President Trump's efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine,' it read. 'They recognized that Ukraine has committed to an unconditional ceasefire, and they agreed that Russia must do the same,' the statement continued. It said they are 'resolute in exploring all options to maximize pressure on Russia, including financial sanctions.' Carney's summary of where they aligned — which did not state specific support for more sanctions, more military equipment or seizure of frozen Russian assets — comes at a time when Russia is intensifying its attacks on Ukraine's civilian population and the war-torn country's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy came to Kananaskis to rally more support. Zelenskyy left Wednesday, without ever seeing Trump, cancelling his own news conference. Nevertheless, the G7 did land on an agreed joint statement on Iran-Israel hostilities that the U.S. could live with. It supported a call for de-escalation of conflict in the Middle East region but did not specify the need to de-escalate the spiralling Iran-Israel crisis. It supported Israel's right to defend itself and identified Iran as 'the principal source of regional instability and terror.' There were other divides on display. Trump condemned the G7 decision in 2014 to evict Russia from the G8's ranks, after President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine and annexed the Crimea peninsula. 'A big mistake,' Trump said as Carney stood silently by him Monday. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW In response to reporter questions Tuesday, Carney dismissed any concern that Putin may have been offended by his ouster. 'It was personally offensive, to put it mildly, to the citizens of Ukraine and the inhabitants of Crimea, when Russia invaded in 2014 which was the cause of their ejection from the G8,' Carney said. A huge divide between Trump and the G7, and other international leaders invited to the summit, exists over Trump's global tariffs. Several leaders hoped to negotiate bilateral deals here with Trump to ease the hit, but only a handful — Canada, Japan, the U.K. and the EU — even got a chance to talk directly with the president before he took off. Trump's delegates, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, U.S. trade representative Jamieson Greer, and another White House official remained behind to take part in the summit's meetings with Zelenskyy. French President Emmanuel Macron told the Star Trump's absence did not detract from the discussions on Ukraine with Zelenskyy. He said the G7 is united in a desire to find a lasting and enforceable end to the war. 'It is in the strategic American interest to continue this discussion with us and to do it as we discussed this morning: sanctions, military support for Ukraine to lead Russia to return to the table — which is, by the way, what President Trump has been asking for since February — a ceasefire, and negotiations for a lasting peace.' How they reach that goal is where they differ. Many G7 leaders want more muscular sanctions on Russia and more military equipment sent into Ukraine. Canada announced new measures Tuesday on those fronts, as did Britain. Both increased sanctions on individuals and entities, and targeted Russia's 'shadow fleet' of ships used to evade sanctions. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's sanctions package took aim at 30 targets across Russia's financial, military and energy sectors, and targets 20 of his oil tankers, as well as the companies responsible for crewing and managing the vessels, according to a U.K. news release. 'These sanctions strike right at the heart of Putin's war machine, choking off his ability to continue his barbaric war in Ukraine,' said Starmer. 'We know that our sanctions are hitting hard, so while Putin shows total disregard for peace, we will not hesitate to keep tightening the screws.' Zelenskyy met Carney in a bilateral meeting Tuesday after a devastating night where Russia rained down missile and drone strikes on Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital. The Ukrainian leader called it a 'big tragedy,' one of the biggest attacks since the beginning of the war, with 440 drones from Russia, and 32 missiles, including ballistic missiles, saying at that point he understood 138 people were injured and 12 killed in the attack. Carney, standing next to Zelenskyy, condemned 'in the strongest terms, the latest outrage — barbarism from Russia,' adding it 'underscores the importance of standing in total solidarity with Ukraine, with the Ukrainian people,' and 'the importance of using maximum pressure against Russia, who has refused to come to the table.' Canada will provide additional drones, helicopters and broader munitions, 'over $2 billion worth of assistance directly to Ukraine,' said Carney. And Ottawa is dispersing the next tranche of the loan based on the frozen Russian assets, $2.3 billion to help rebuild its infrastructure and public systems., he added. Zelenskyy, dressed in black, welcomed the aid. 'We need support from our allies,' he said, 'until Russia will be ready for the peace negotiations. We are ready for ... the unconditional ceasefire.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW As he wound up the summit, Carney struck a confidently cocky note, joking about the number of questions, quipping whether Trump had pegged the $71 billion tag for Canada to get in on the 'Golden Dome' in Canadian or U.S. dollars, wisecracking about a G7 where 'there are only, oddly, nine people in the room, because of the two extra Europe — not extra Europeans — right amount of Europeans.' He said the summit's direct dialogue and 'strategic exchanges' were invaluable and while leaders disagreed on 'a number of issues' it came from an 'effort to find common solutions to some of these problems.' Yet Carney was careful and guarded when he defended his controversial decision to invite Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing him as an important world leader with whom Canada had to re-engage on law enforcement issues, trade and immigration issues. But Carney refused to answer directly about whether he raised the 'murder' case of Hardeep Singh Nijjar's alleged shooting death at the direction of Indian government agents. At the end, the G7 issued a number of other joint G7 statements which the U.S. to. They pledged co-operation and action to harness the power of artificial intelligence and quantum computing, to ramp up efforts including working with social media platforms and possible sanctions to counter migrant smuggling. The G7 leaders condemned transnational repression, vowing to create a new digital detection 'academy' to support potential targets. They agreed to address wildfires through mitigation and adaptation, construction of resilient infrastructure, to share data. Two other statements were issued on a new a critical minerals action plan, which was also endorsed by Australia, India and South Korea, and a Kananaskis Wildfires Charter endorsed by Australia, India, Mexico, South Korea, and South Africa. Politics Headlines Newsletter Get the latest news and unmatched insights in your inbox every evening Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. Please enter a valid email address. Sign Up Yes, I'd also like to receive customized content suggestions and promotional messages from the Star. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Politics Headlines Newsletter You're signed up! You'll start getting Politics Headlines in your inbox soon. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page.
Canada Standard
3 hours ago
- Canada Standard
Canada, India agree to resume diplomatic services, designate new High Commissioners
Kananaskis [Canada], June 18 (ANI): India and Canada agreed to resume full diplomatic services, ending the thaw between the two countries, triggered by Canadian allegations that Indian agents were involved in the killing of NIA-designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a gurdwara in Canada in 2023. At the G7 Leaders' Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and both leaders agreed to designate new high commissioners, with a view to returning to regular services to citizens and businesses in both countries, according to a press release from the Prime Minister of Canada. Prime Minister Carney and Prime Minister Modi reaffirmed the importance of Canada-India ties, based upon mutual respect, the rule of law, and a commitment to the principle of sovereignty and territorial integrity. They discussed strong and historic ties between their peoples, partnerships in the Indo-Pacific, and significant commercial links between Canada and India -- including partnerships in economic growth, supply chains, and the energy transformation, read the release. Prime Minister Carney also raised priorities on the G7 agenda, including transnational crime and repression, security, and the rules-based order. The discussions on deepening engagement in technology, digital transition, food security, and critical minerals came even as India-Canada ties remain strained due to ongoing political tensions. India has repeatedly voiced concern over extremism and anti-India activities in Canada, urging Canadian authorities to act against such elements. Tensions escalated further when former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed that his government had 'credible allegations' of India's involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada in 2023. India has strongly denied the allegations, terming them 'absurd' and 'motivated,' and has accused Canada of giving space to extremist and anti-India elements. In the aftermath, India recalled six diplomats from Canada after they were declared 'persons of interest' by Canadian authorities investigating Nijjar's killing. Nijjar was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2023. The diplomatic rift between India and Canada has since widened, with Canada allegedly violating various international norms such as the Vienna Convention, and subjecting Indian diplomats to surveillance--against which the Ministry of External Affairs had lodged a formal protest with the Canadian government. (ANI)
Canada Standard
3 hours ago
- Canada Standard
PM Modi emphasises Global South unity at G7 Summit
Kananaskis [Canada], June 18 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi provided updates on a series of high-level meetings held on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada, highlighting India's efforts to strengthen global partnerships and champion the cause of the Global South. He began by sharing on his official X handle about a 'fruitful discussion' with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. This was followed by a 'productive conversation' with Antonio Costa, President of the European Council, underscoring India's active engagement with key European leaders. Building on these interactions, PM Modi emphasised solidarity with the Global South after meetings with leaders from Brazil and South Africa. He described 'outstanding conversations' with President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil, reaffirming their shared commitment to addressing issues vital to the Global South and working towards a better future for coming generations. Reflecting this sentiment, President Lula of Brazil tweeted, 'The Global South is present at the G7. Meeting with Cyril Ramaphosa and Narendra Modi,' highlighting the united voice of Global South leaders at the summit. Alongside these engagements, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also held insightful deliberations with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba of Japan on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada. Sharing details of the meeting, Prime Minister Modi posted on his official handle on X (formerly Twitter), 'Insightful deliberations with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba during the G7 Summit in Canada. India and Japan remain committed to further deepening bilateral ties across various sectors.' This meeting was part of a broader diplomatic effort by Prime Minister Modi, who engaged in a flurry of high-level bilateral meetings with leaders from Mexico, South Korea, Australia, South Africa, France, and Canada on the sidelines of the 51st G7 Summit in Kananaskis, reaffirming India's commitment to strengthening global partnerships. Kicking off his bilateral engagements, Randhir Jaiswal, Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, posted on X, 'PM @narendramodi met President Mr. Lee Jae-Myung @Jaemyung_Lee of Republic of Korea on the sidelines of the 51st #G7Summit in Kananaskis, Canada.' The meeting saw both sides reaffirm their commitment to deepening the India-Republic of Korea Special Strategic Partnership by exploring cooperation in trade and economy, critical and emerging technologies, green hydrogen, shipbuilding, culture, and people-to-people ties. Regional and global issues were also discussed.' Further strengthening ties in the Latin American region, Jaiswal stated in another post, 'Boosting India-Mexico warm & historical ties. PM @narendramodi met President Dr. @Claudiashein of Mexico, on the sidelines of 51st G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada. This was the first meeting between the two leaders. Both sides discussed avenues to further deepen cooperation in trade, pharmaceuticals, S&T, digital innovation and shared perspectives on key global & regional issues, including priorities of the Global South.' Expanding on the meeting, Prime Minister Modi said, 'I had a very good meeting with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. I personally congratulated her on her historic electoral victory, becoming the first female President of Mexico in two centuries. We both see immense potential for further strengthening ties between India and Mexico in the future, especially in sectors such as agriculture, semiconductors, critical minerals, healthcare, among others. We also discussed ways to strengthen the ties between our peoples.' PM Modi also extended an invitation to President Sheinbaum to visit India. He congratulated President of Mexico on her historic victory and thanked President Sheinbaum for the support extended by Mexico in India's fight against terrorism. Continuing his diplomatic engagements at the summit, Prime Minister Modi also interacted with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia. In a post on X, PM Modi said, 'Good to meet my friend, PM Albanese of Australia during the G7 Summit in Canada! @AlboMP' Highlighting India's engagement with the host nation, Jaiswal shared, 'Building bridges for global progress and cooperation. PM @MarkJCarney of Canada welcomed PM @narendramodi at the #G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada.' Adding to the series of key bilateral meetings, Prime Minister Modi also met with President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa. In a social media post, PM Modi wrote, 'Happy to interact with the President of South Africa, Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa at the G7 Summit. @CyrilRamaphosa' PM Modi also held a pull-aside meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge in Canada on Tuesday to attend the G7 Summit. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney received PM Modi as he arrived at the summit venue in Kananaskis, Alberta. This marks his sixth consecutive participation in the G7 Summit and his first visit to Canada in a decade. PM Modi received a ceremonial welcome at the Calgary airport, where India's acting high commissioner, Chinmoy Naik, was among those who received him. Setting the tone for his engagements, PM Modi, upon arriving in Calgary, said on Monday (local time) that he would meet various leaders at the G7 Summit and share his thoughts on important global issues. PM Modi added that he would also emphasise the priorities of the Global South during the summit. This visit is part of his three-nation official tour, which began with Cyprus and will conclude with Croatia. In a post on X, PM Modi stated, 'Landed in Calgary, Canada, to take part in the G7 Summit. Will be meeting various leaders at the Summit and sharing my thoughts on important global issues. Will also be emphasising the priorities of the Global South.' The G7 Summit is an annual gathering of leaders from the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, Canada, and the European Union (EU). This marks PM Modi's sixth consecutive participation in the G7 Summit. (ANI)
