Ukrainian and European Parliamentarians Press Canada on China and Energy
Eight parliamentarians with the United for Ukraine Parliamentary Network are in Ottawa to meet Canadian decision-makers. The Globe and Mail
Two members of Ukraine's Parliament, Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze and Oleksandr Merezhko, are part of the eight-person group. They are meeting alongside European colleagues on Parliament Hill and elsewhere in Ottawa.
Klympush-Tsintsadze urged Canada to use its contacts with China to press Beijing to stop supporting Russia's military effort. In simple terms, she asked Ottawa to act as a go-between with Beijing.
Merezhko put the war in wider terms. He said Ukraine is fighting not only Russia but states backing Moscow. He named Iran, North Korea, Cuba and China.
On energy, Klympush-Tsintsadze said Canada should ship natural gas and oil to Europe to replace Russian energy sales. The aim she described was to displace Russian supply, not simply to add more energy to the market.
The delegation has met Canadian MPs, senators and think tanks. It planned to meet Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Thursday.
Canada has committed more than $26-billion in civilian and military support to Ukraine since 2022, according to the most recent federal accounting. On Sept. 10, Canada and Ukraine issued a declaration for a 100-year partnership and said they will cooperate within the Industrial Ramstein initiative. Global Affairs Canada Operation UNIFIER was extended on February 24, 2026. Ukraine maintains an embassy in Ottawa.
On September 17, 2026, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU would disburse €3.3 billion to Ukraine to procure missiles and drones. Reuters On September 16, the head of the European Commission called for EU states to work together and form a new partnership with Canada.
As of September 12, 2026, fighting on the Ukraine front line was largely stalled while Russia and Ukraine increasingly targeted logistics networks and other economic assets. Reuters U.S. peace envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff visited Kyiv in September 2026 amid a Ukraine war peace push.
The broader context here is about jurisdiction, or which level of government controls what. Ottawa controls foreign affairs, military aid and development funding. The provinces control much of resource development, project approvals and export infrastructure. That split helps explain a schedule that includes both Parliament Hill and Queen's Park.
Looking at what this means for policy, the two Ukrainian requests pull on different levers. Pressing Beijing would depend on Ottawa's access in China and its willingness to spend political capital. Replacing Russian energy would depend on production, plants that cool gas to liquid for shipping, port space and long-term contracts. A parliamentary visit alone does not move either lever, but it shows where Kyiv and its European supporters want Canada positioned in the months ahead.
