London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Oct 20, 2026

Ukraine war: Zelensky asks Canada's parliament to ‘Please close the sky'

Ukraine war: Zelensky asks Canada's parliament to ‘Please close the sky'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged Canada to "do more" to protect his country from Russia in an address to a joint session of Canada's parliament.

Mr Zelensky received a lengthy standing ovation from parliamentarians in Ottawa and cheers of "glory to Ukraine".

The president thanked Canada for its continued support but renewed a plea for a no-fly zone over his country.

His speech follows fresh Canadian sanctions on Russian officials.

Speaking virtually from Ukraine to a packed crowd in the House of Commons to members of parliament, senators and dignitaries on Tuesday, Mr Zelensky thanked Canada - a "steadfast supporter" - for ongoing military and humanitarian assistance being offered to Ukraine.

But he called on them to do more, asking again for a no-fly zone to be imposed over Ukraine.

Invoking Canadian cities and landmarks - Vancouver, Edmonton, the CN Tower in Toronto - Mr Zelensky asked the assembled to imagine bombs dropping in Canada.

"I would like you to understand and I would like you to feel this," he said. "How many more cruise missiles have to fall on our cities until you make this [no-fly zone] happen?"

Canada and its Nato counterparts have refused to enforce a no-fly zone, saying it could pull the military alliance into a direct war with Russia. Asked about a no-fly zone on Tuesday, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said Canada had not changed in its opposition to the tactic.

"We need to be sure we're not triggering an international conflict," she said.

Just hours before Mr Zelensky's morning address, Canada announced new penalties on 15 of Russian President Vladimir Putin's allies, follow nearly 500 sanctions from the Canadian government targeting individuals and companies from Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus since the invasion into Ukraine began on 24 February.

On Tuesday, Mr Zelensky received an introduction by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who welcomed the president and applauded his bravery.

"You're defending the right of Ukrainians to choose their own future," Mr Trudeau said. "Democracies around the world are lucky to have you as our champion."

Canada has promised more than C$145m ($113m; £87m) in humanitarian assistance to Ukraine this year.

There are 1.4 million Ukrainian-Canadians, making up the world's second-largest Ukrainian diaspora outside of Russia.

The Russian foreign ministry said on Tuesday it had added Mr Trudeau as well as Ms Joly and Defence Minister Anita Anand to its so-called "black list", banning them from entering Russia.

Mr Zelensky has made several appeals to world leaders in an effort to boost support for Ukraine. Last week, he gave a virtual address to the UK House of Commons and he will deliver a speech to the United States Congress on Wednesday.


Watch: Zelensky addresses Canada's Parliament



Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
British Government Reallocates Twenty-Five Per Cent of International Climate Finance to Global Biodiversity Projects
Initial British Carbon Border Taxes Set to Undercut Parallel European Union Tariffs on Industrial Imports
Whitehall Prepares National Zero-Interest Loan Initiative to Accelerate Domestic Heat Pump and Solar Adoption
European Union Offers British Automakers Access to Hybrid Vehicle Trade Protections Subject to Strict Regulatory Alignment
British Probation Officers Threaten Widespread Industrial Action After Rejecting Five Per Cent Government Pay Offer
Microsoft Abandons Major British Artificial Intelligence Data Centre Citing Severe National Grid Power Constraints
United Kingdom Inflation Accelerates to Three Point Four Per Cent Ahead of Chancellor John Healey's Inaugural Autumn Budget
Surging Cloned Number Plates Severely Complicate Traffic Enforcement and Police Investigations
Mounting Opposition Challenges Planned Rollout of Autonomous Taxis Across London
Influential Think Tank Urges Rejoining European Union to Navigate Geopolitical Crises
Government Review Recommends Slashing Benefits to Fund Youth Employment Initiatives
Senior Minister Shabana Mahmood Seeks New Law Enforcement Pact With European Union
Airbus Executive Warns Britain Risks Losing Crucial Role in European Space Industry
Exorbitant Electricity Costs Push British Steelmakers to Worst Competitive Position in Three Years
British Food and Beverage Exports to European Union Collapse by Over a Third Since Brexit
Up to Twenty English Maternity Units Face Impending Closure Due to Safety and Staffing Crises
Government Declares Severe Drought Across Southern England Following Record Dry Spell
Corporate Profit Warnings Reach Two-Year High Amid Middle East Conflict and Rising Costs
International Monetary Fund Warns Chancellor John Healey Against Proposed Bank Tax Raid
Northern Ireland Secures Favorable Agricultural Export Agreement with European Union
Scottish Government Approves Major Offshore Floating Wind Farm Near Aberdeenshire
High Speed Two Rail Project Faces Three Billion Pound Cost Escalation on Initial Phase
National Health Service Warns of Winter Capacity Crisis Across English Hospitals
Tata Steel Confirms Two Thousand Job Cuts at Port Talbot to Fund Green Transition
Global Microchip Developer Announces Three Billion Pound Semiconductor Plant in Cambridge
United Kingdom Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute Proposes Mandatory Licensing for Generative Models
United Kingdom Commits Additional Long-Range Weapons and Air Defenses to Ukraine
British Chancellor Overhauls Infrastructure Financing to Bypass Borrowing Constraints
Bank of England Holds Benchmark Interest Rate at Four Point Five Percent
First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth Confirms Constitutional Discussions Over Welsh Independence During Initial Bilateral Call with Prime Minister
Labour Party Instructs Local Council Groups to Sever Power-Sharing Accords with Green Party Over New Controversial Policy Positions
Institute for Fiscal Studies Warns of Thirty-Five Billion Pound Fiscal Gap Ahead of Chancellor John Healey Upcoming Autumn Budget
House of Lords Backs Landmark Legislative Amendment to Decriminalize Abortion Across England and Wales
United Kingdom Defence Secretary Wes Streeting Travels to Pentagon for High-Level Strategic Talks Amid Escalating Tensions Over Ukraine and United States Policy Shifts
Bank of England and International Monetary Fund Officials Issue Urgent Warnings Regarding Potential Artificial Intelligence Financial Market Shocks
Reform UK Faces Severe Political Fallout and Scrutiny After Undercover Media Investigations Reveal Systemic Racism Among Candidates
Former Democratic Unionist Party Leader Jeffrey Donaldson Sentenced to Fifteen Years in Prison Following Landmark Child Sexual Abuse Trial
House of Lords Votes to Amend Schools Bill Implementing Comprehensive Social Media Ban for Children Under Sixteen Years of Age
International Monetary Fund Upgrades United Kingdom Growth Forecast for Two Thousand Twenty-Six While Warning of Energy-Driven Inflation Pressures
Competition and Markets Authority Launches Formal Inquiry Into Corporate Artificial Intelligence Partnerships
Automotive Industry Leaders Urge Westminster to Accelerate Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Rollout
Home Office Expands Digital Border Security Framework With Mandatory Electronic Travel Authorizations Across United Kingdom
Northern Ireland Executive Reaches Final Consensus on Public Sector Pay Reform and Budget Allocations
Welsh First Minister Secures Additional Funding for Rural Agricultural Transition and Sustainable Farming Schemes
Scottish Government Unveils Accelerated Regional Infrastructure Strategy to Boost Clean Energy Manufacturing
National Health Service England Launches Emergency Recruitment Drive to Alleviate Severe Acute Care Winter Backlogs
Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee Signals Cautious Approach to Interest Rate Reductions Amid Persistent Wage Growth
British Government Finalizes Emergency Energy Support Package to Protect Households From Winter Price Surges
Russell Brand Trial Begins at Southwark Crown Court
UK Parliament to Debate Climate Risks and Council Tax Following Public Petitions
×