Zelensky's Visit To Canada Could Bring New Defense And Energy Deals Analyst

(MENAFN- UkrinForm) The assessment was made by diplomat and international analyst Ihor Dolhov, according to Ukrinform.

According to him, Ukraine's key priorities at present are protecting its airspace and ensuring the continued operation of its energy system amid possible Russian attacks.

“These visits, like every foreign trip by a head of state, are important. They are probably particularly important now. On Sunday, the U.S. President envoys visited Ukraine. There were lengthy talks and some optimistic signals, but the main conclusion is that the war will not end tomorrow, and it will not end this year, so we need to prepare for a difficult winter,” the diplomat said.

He recalled that these issues were also among the key topics discussed at the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting in the Ramstein format.

“Therefore, these two themes – what to use to protect Ukrainian skies, how to defend ourselves, and how to get through the winter under constant Russian attacks, particularly against our energy infrastructure – are the main issues right now,” Dolhov explained.

Before traveling to Canada, Zelensky visited Norway. According to Dolhov, despite the visit being prompted by a mourning event, it also provided an opportunity to hold talks on further support for Ukraine.

Norway is one of Ukraine's key partners in military and financial assistance. In particular, the country is involved in procuring missiles for the U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems.

“Norway is one of Ukraine's main partners when it comes to military and financial assistance. In particular, when we talk about Ramstein and the procurement of Patriot missiles, Norway is a leader. Norway is constantly allocating funds to purchase Patriot missiles from the United States, and at the latest Ramstein meeting it also announced another contribution of $200 million,” the diplomat noted.

He also highlighted the importance of cooperation between the Ukrainian and Norwegian defense industries.

Read also: Zelensky to discuss air defense and winter preparations with Carney in Canada

Dolhov described the partnership with Canada as strategic for Ukraine. Zelensky's current visit is the first state visit by the Ukrainian President to the country.

“This is also an important event because the strategic partnership with Canada is important to us from various perspectives. In terms of cooperation during the war, in terms of support for Ukraine from Canadian businesses and companies, and, of course, it is worth noting that Canada has one of the largest Ukrainian diasporas, which is also actively involved in projects to support Ukraine,” Dolhov said.

Energy could become a separate area of cooperation. According to the expert, Canada has significant oil and gas reserves and produces equipment that could be useful in supporting Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

“So, I hope there will be new agreements and concrete results both for defense and for ensuring the operation of our energy system throughout the winter,” the international analyst concluded.

As Ukrinform reported, following his visits to Norway and Iceland, the Ukrainian President arrived in Canada, where he plans to hold a series of meetings with representatives of the Canadian government and defense industry.

Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine

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