On December 16, 2024 Deputy Minister Mariana Betsa held a meeting with Ambassador of Canada to Ukraine Natalka Cmoc.

Mariana Betsa expressed her gratitude to Canada for its steadfast support of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within the internationally recognized borders. The parties paid special attention to the implementation of the Peace Formula and the Victory Plan of President Volodymyr Zelenskyi.

The Deputy Minister emphasized the importance of continuing sanctions pressure on Russia to force the aggressor to stop its brutal crimes against Ukrainians. She emphasized the importance of advocacy among NATO member countries for the decision to invite Ukraine to the Alliance. “The invitation to NATO for Ukraine is the only reliable guarantee of security not only for our country, but also for regional and global security,” she stressed.

While discussing Canada's Presidency of the Group of Seven, the deputy minister expressed hope for the Canadian contribution to the adoption of important decisions to solve global challenges and security threats caused by Russian aggression against Ukraine.

Canada's significant contribution to the work of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children was separately noted. ’We are sincerely grateful to Canada for its leadership in the issue of the return of Ukrainian children forcibly deported to the Russian Federation, and we count on the coordinated strengthening of measures that will allow the return of all children abducted by the aggressor state to the Motherland,’ underlined Mariana Betsa.