Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has spoken with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to reiterate Canada鈥檚 鈥渦nwavering鈥� support in Ukraine鈥檚 defence against Russia鈥檚 invasion, as the two world leaders congratulated Finland on joining NATO.
Tuesday marks the 74th anniversary of NATO 鈥� the group of now-31 military allied countries 鈥� as Finland joins the ranks in the fastest accession ever to the alliance.
While the readout from the prime minister鈥檚 office doesn鈥檛 specify whether Trudeau and Zelenskyy discussed NATO or Finland, the two have separately issued messages of congratulations, with the latter tweeting: 鈥淣ATO became the only effective security guarantee in the region amid Russian aggression.鈥�
鈥淲e expect #NATOSummit in Vilnius will bring Ukraine closer to our Euro-Atlantic goal,鈥� Zelenskyy also tweeted.
The foreign ministers from NATO鈥檚 member countries are currently meeting in Brussels, while the next NATO Summit of heads of state has been scheduled for July in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Roy Eriksson, Finland鈥檚 Ambassador to Canada, said on the Vassy Kapelos Show Tuesday Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine showed the necessity for NATO and the alliance鈥檚 commitment to 鈥渃ommon defence.鈥�
鈥淎s (Finnish President Sauli Niinistö) said today in Brussels, the era of military non-alignment in our history has come to an end, and the new era has begun,鈥� Eriksson said. 鈥淧utin鈥檚 attack on Ukraine certainly was the catalyst that put the wheels in motion in Finland.鈥�
Zelenskyy also tweeted Tuesday about his call with Trudeau, and thanked Canada for the aid it's provided to Ukraine.
鈥淭he two leaders discussed Ukraine鈥檚 current needs, as well as Canada鈥檚 ongoing support and recent announcements, including military, financial, and humanitarian assistance,鈥� according to a readout from Trudeau鈥檚 office. 鈥淧resident Zelenskyy welcomed these announcements, and expressed gratitude for Canada鈥檚 continued contributions to Ukraine鈥檚 security and stability.鈥�
In a separate statement, Trudeau said Finland鈥檚 membership strengthens the alliance, and he also supports Sweden joining NATO.
Meanwhile, the occasion brought back into the fore. It has long faced calls to increase its defence spending to two per cent of its GDP, the agreed-upon target by NATO members as part of the Wales Summit Declaration in 2014.
According to the latest , released last month, Canada falls nearly to the back of the pack of NATO allies in its defence expenditures as percentage of GDP.
The topic was expected to be a major talking point between Trudeau and U.S. President Joe Biden during his first official visit to Ottawa last month. But just days after the presidential visit, the federal government tabled its 2023 budget, which featured little new defence spending.
鈥淐anada is the sixth largest contributor in the world to NATO,鈥� Trudeau said Tuesday. 鈥淐anada has continually been present and leading in NATO missions around the world, and we will continue to step up as necessary.鈥�
The prime minister noted announcements to modernize Norad and purchase 88 new fighter jets as examples of defence spending commitments.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre on Tuesday accused the Liberal government of underfunding and mismanaging Canada鈥檚 military, but he did not say whether a government led by him would hit the two per cent target.
鈥淐onservatives will unleash a powerful economy that can generate the funds for a growing military, and will take money from the back-office bureaucracy to put it on the front lines, in the hands of our soldiers, sailors, and air men and women,鈥� Poilievre said.
With files from CTV鈥檚 Power Play chase producer Sophall Duch
