Russia-Ukraine war to dominate Trudeau’s international summit tour – National

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is on his approach to Rwanda for the primary leg of a 10-day journey to check with different world leaders because the battle in Ukraine is anticipated to loom massive over almost all his discussions.

Trudeau is anticipated to reach in Kigali, the capital, on Wednesday night, the place he’ll collect with the heads of presidency from the opposite 53 nations within the Commonwealth for the primary time since 2018.

The unique assembly, deliberate for 2020, was like a lot else postpone by the COVID-19 pandemic that’s nonetheless an essential backdrop to the talks.

He’ll then depart for Schloss Elmau, a resort within the Bavarian Alps of Germany, for the G7 leaders’ summit earlier than heading to a NATO assembly in Madrid. He may also meet Pedro Sanchez, the prime minister of Spain.

The implications of Russia‘s large-scale invasion of Ukraine, which started on Feb. 24, have been felt across the globe — significantly in among the smaller nations whose leaders Trudeau will meet in Kigali.

The battle sparked an enormous refugee disaster. It additionally restricted different nations’ entry to wheat from Ukraine, also known as the breadbasket of Europe due to its important meals manufacturing.

African nations, 19 of that are Commonwealth members, have confronted particularly extreme meals insecurity in consequence. The UN World Meals Program has warned that tens of millions of individuals within the creating world and battle zones are at risk of hunger.

Earlier than the battle, Russia and Ukraine produced about 30 per cent of the world’s exported grain. The closure of key ports within the Black Sea has made it troublesome to ship these items to the nations that want them.

Canada will work alongside a number of traces to alleviate the meals disaster that has been sparked by the battle, stated authorities officers who offered media with a briefing forward of the journey on the situation they not be recognized.

Canada has already prolonged humanitarian assist to Ukraine and elsewhere, officers stated, and may draw on Canadian farmers’ experience in storing and delivery crops in troublesome conditions to assist Ukrainian grain attain those that want it.

Additionally they famous Canada grows a big quantity of grain.

Trudeau spoke about potential measures throughout a cellphone name final week with Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, who can be internet hosting the Commonwealth Heads of Authorities Assembly.

Canada may also be rallying assist for Ukraine amongst Commonwealth members and try to win over any leaders who could also be on the fence about condemning Russia.

When the United Nations voted to droop Russia from the human rights council in April, 58 nations abstained from the vote. Of these, 29 have been Commonwealth nations.

Nonetheless, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress stated they count on Trudeau to spur different leads into motion when he’s in Germany and Spain.

Congress head Ihor Michalchyshyn stated he spoke to Ukrainian defence officers in a current journey to Kyiv, who highlighted the dire state of affairs they’re dealing with with dwindling navy tools.

“They don’t have sufficient weapons. They’ve been really saying that they’re going to expire of ammunition in coming weeks and months,” Michalchyshyn stated.

“If there’s nothing of substance introduced and operationalized there, the rhetoric is empty.”

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is anticipated to handle the G7 and NATO summits, the place the dialog can be largely targeted on financial and navy assist for the embattled nation.

Final week in Brussels, Defence Minister Anita Annand, who will be part of Trudeau on the NATO summit, introduced Canada would ship 10 substitute artillery barrels, price $9 million, to assist the M777 howitzer artillery weapons already offered.

A number of world leaders have met with Zelenskyy within the lead-up to the string of summits, together with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson who made a shock go to to Kyiv final week.

Johnson promised extra British navy coaching for Ukrainian troops, which is one thing Michalchyshyn stated Canada might do extra on too.

Trudeau made his personal unannounced journey to Ukraine final month.

As of the tip of January, 33,346 candidates for the Safety Forces of Ukraine have participated in Canada’s coaching program, referred to as Operation Unifier, since Sept. 2015.

“Operation Unifier was one thing that had been considered one of Canada’s largest contributions to Ukrainian defence over the previous variety of years,” Michalchyshyn stated. “Canada ought to be, at this level, following the result in work on the areas the place we’re the strongest.”

Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins pressed Trudeau throughout his go to to Canada final month for a extra everlasting navy presence within the Baltics to counter any Russian perceptions of NATO weak point within the space.

Canada at the moment has almost 700 troops main a NATO battlegroup in Latvia, considered one of a number of within the area. At a joint information convention with Karins in Ottawa, Trudeau introduced one common and 6 workers officers from the Canadian Armed Forces can be deployed to a NATO headquarters in Adazi close to the Latvian capital of Riga, however deferred any main selections to the NATO talks.

The intense battle between Ukraine and Russia has drawn extra nations to the approaching NATO assembly in Madrid, together with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. He’s he first Japanese chief to affix a high assembly of the North Atlantic navy alliance.

Sweden and Finland, which have utilized to affix NATO, are sending delegations. South Korea’s new President Yoon Suk-yeol has additionally signalled his intention to attend.

Trudeau is anticipated to return to Ottawa on June 30, in time for Canada Day celebrations.