Ukrainian President Zelensky unexpectedly visits Canada

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has made an unexpected visit to Canada to seek support for his country. Canadian TV footage showed him being greeted by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Ottawa. This is Zelensky's first trip to Canada since Russia's invasion in February 2022. Prior to arriving in Canada, he had been in Washington where he had discussions with US President Joe Biden and other politicians. Zelensky was seeking further financial aid to help Ukraine fight against the invading Russian forces. He appealed to world leaders at the United Nations in New York for their continued support. However, tensions have risen due to Zelensky's criticism of Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary for banning Ukrainian grain imports. Some countries are also facing resource constraints, leading to contention over providing support to Ukraine's war effort. In the US, Republican skepticism towards funding the war has been growing, despite pleas from President Biden not to abandon Ukraine. Nevertheless, President Biden approved additional funding worth $325 million for Kiev, which includes upgrades to air defense systems. However, Zelensky's request for long-range missiles was not fulfilled. Poland also announced that it would cease sending new weapons to Ukraine and focus on enhancing its own defense capabilities with more modern weaponry.