Canadian Prime Minister Stresses ‘Nothing About Ukraine Without Ukraine’ Amid Controversial Diplomatic Move
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has reaffirmed Canada’s stance that Ukraine must be directly involved in any peace negotiations, following reports that U.S. and Russian officials met in Saudi Arabia without Ukrainian representation.
“It’s a fundamental principle for Canada, and for the vast majority of our allies, that nothing about Ukraine should be decided without Ukraine,” Trudeau said during a press conference in Montreal on Wednesday.
The meeting, which took place in Riyadh on Tuesday, included U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov. Ukrainian officials were notably absent, a decision that has drawn criticism from Kyiv and its allies.
The exclusion of Ukraine from these talks has sparked concerns among European leaders, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy postponing a planned visit to Saudi Arabia in response.
Reports indicate that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had pushed for Ukrainian involvement in the discussions, but the U.S. and Russia opted to meet without Kyiv’s participation.
Zelenskyy has previously insisted that Ukraine will reject any peace agreement brokered without its direct input. “We will not accept any deals made behind our backs,” he reiterated earlier this week.
Trudeau is set to join a virtual meeting with European leaders to discuss the latest developments and reinforce Canada’s commitment to supporting Ukraine.
Amid the diplomatic fallout, U.S. President Donald Trump added to the controversy by suggesting Ukraine was at fault for not ending the war sooner.
“You’ve been there for three years. You should’ve never started it. You could have made a deal,” Trump said at a press briefing Tuesday, appearing to place blame on Ukraine rather than Russia.
Trump’s remarks follow statements from his defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, who last week called the idea of Ukraine reclaiming its pre-2014 borders “unrealistic.”
Zelenskyy responded on Wednesday, accusing Trump of falling into a “Russian-made disinformation space” due to his administration’s dealings with the Kremlin.
When asked about Trump’s comments, Trudeau avoided direct mention of the U.S. president but made Canada’s position clear.
“We had rules around borders, around not invading your neighbors—rules that Russia deliberately chose to violate,” Trudeau said. “Canada and our allies are unequivocal in standing up against Vladimir Putin’s illegal, immoral, and unjust violations of the international order.”
As the situation unfolds, Ukraine and its allies remain on high alert, wary of any agreements reached without Kyiv’s involvement.