PM won’t say if Canada will keep sending troops to Ukraine to train military

KYIV, Ukraine — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada will continue to stand with Ukraine in its struggle with Russia, but he won’t say if Canada will keep supplying troops to train Ukraine’s military.
In a joint press conference in Kyiv, where a free trade deal was signed between Canada and Ukraine, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said he has asked Canada to keep 200 military trainers in the country past March 2017.
That’s when the current mission near the western city of Lviv is set to expire.

When asked for his response,Trudeau said Canada would co-ordinate with its allies in supporting Ukraine.
Meanwhile, both Trudeau and Poroshenko slammed Russia for not living up to its commitments to a peace deal intended to bring an end to fighting in eastern Ukraine.
Some European allies have grown impatient that Ukraine is not doing enough to implement its commitments in the peace deal with the rebels and Russia, with warnings they may not renew sanctions against Russia.
Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine two years ago, and has supported separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine.
Trudeau said Canada would push its allies to continue supporting Ukraine.
“We will stand with our NATO partners, and push on, as you’ve seen, our friends and partners to continue to be steadfast in support of Ukraine,” he said. “Not just because Ukraine is a good friend to Canada, but because of the values and principles that we stand for as a country.”
The free trade deal signed between Canada and Ukraine isn’t the biggest for either country. But it is seen as politically important given Ukraine’s efforts to escape from Russia’s influence.
Ukrainian officials are also hoping it will spark an influx of Canadian investment for their country’s struggling economy.
Later today, Trudeau will visit the Maidan, Ukraine’s independence square, where popular protests in early 2014 forced the previous pro-Russian president from power and ushered in what Ukrainians hope is a new era. More than 100 people were killed in clashes between police and demonstrators.