After signing a 100-year partnership declaration and drone collaboration agreement with Prime Minister Mark Carney, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stopped briefly in northern Ontario on Friday. He was greeted by a crowd of a few dozen people, who lined up at North Bay’s Jack Garland to get a glimpse of Zelenskyy and his wife, Olena Zelenska, as their plane touched down in the late afternoon. After shaking a few hands, he and his entourage walked to the International Tactical Training Centre hangar at the airport, where dozens of Ukrainian fighter jet pilots are being trained. “I met with our military pilots who are training at the International Test Pilots School in Canada,” Zelenskyy said in a video posted to social media following his stop in North Bay. “The guys are training to master modern fighter jets, including F-16s and Gripens, and strengthen Ukraine’s combat aviation. We’re doing everything we can to protect our skies and the key to that is having good, motivated pilots. We’re proud that Ukraine and our armed forces have a generation of young pilots like this.” “I’m really happy that Canada also supports Ukraine when it’s difficult for us,” said Markus Kozhevin, a Ukrainian from Kyiv who has been living in North Bay since 2022. “Then we will all support Canada when it will be difficult for Canada.” Dressed in traditional clothing Among those waiting to greet Zelenskyy was a group of Ukrainian children dressed in traditional clothing. “It’s really important to show our president that there is support everywhere in the world, and that no matter how small the town is, no matter how big the city is, he is welcome everywhere,” said Ivan Horbatenko, who is from Kyiv but came to Canada after Russian forces invaded in 2022. Ivan, 14, is in Grade 9 at Chippewa Secondary School. “A lot of us are from war,” he said. “We’ve come here from war and we feel really honoured that he’s coming to the town where we now live.” His grandmother, Inna Horivea, happened to be visiting her daughter in North Bay when she heard about Zelenskyy’s visit. She wanted to come to the airport. “I came to Canada because it’s really hard in Ukraine right now with all of the strikes,” Horivea said through a translator. “I came to for a little break.” She told reporters that she’s thankful Zelenskyy is willing to travel the world to advocate for and secure deals to protect Ukraine from Vladimir Putin’s aggression. The Ukrainian leader’s visit to the Gateway City is part of a three-day trip to Canada, which started in Calgary with a signing agreement with Carney. It’s his first visit to the country this year. In the past few weeks, Russia has escalated its attacks on civilian installations in Kyiv. Zelenskyy has asked NATO allies for more air defence weapons. Since the war began, Canada has provided $8.5 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, along with $750 million to help with that country’s recovery and reconstruction efforts. Canada has also imposed more than 3,500 sanctions against Russia. Carney and Zelenskyy announced the creation of the Defence Drone Initiative Marketplace Supply Arrangement, a national digital drone marketplace that will connect operators and end-users to this Canadian defence ecosystem. Among those greeting Zelenskyy was Lisa DeMarco, who said she didn’t want to miss the chance to see the president’s historic landing. Her neighbour made her a Ukrainian flag, which she wrapped over her shoulders when the plane landed. “I felt compelled as soon as I heard he was coming,” DeMarco said. “I just felt I needed to come here and show him support because I feel that the world’s (support) is beginning to wane ... and that really bothers me. The Prime Minister’s Office said the visit was focused on strengthening defence, economic and energy co-operation between Canada and Ukraine, as well as addressing the human cost of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Zelenskyy later left North Bay for Toronto, before flying back to Europe on Friday night. “The whole world should be helping Ukraine,” DeMarco said.
