Sarah Mills: There are always things for which we should be grateful
Sarah Mills says that even in tough times, we all have things we should be grateful for over the Thanksgiving weekend.
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday and criticized U.S. President Donald Trump’s new diesel fuel supply agreement with Russia.
The Prime Minister’s Office said the two leaders discussed Trump’s agreement with Russia, announced Friday, that secures the supply of millions of tonnes of diesel fuel to the United States.
“The prime minister was clear: this agreement is in direct opposition to the efforts of Ukraine, Canada, and our allies to create peace and stability in Europe,” a PMO readout said.
“It will provide additional revenue for Russia and help finance its illegal, unjustifiable war against Ukraine.”
Carney also underscored Canada remains willing to expand its Russia sanctions.
Trump has blamed Ukrainian drone strikes at Russian energy installations for global price increases, which comes as affordability ranks among American voters’ top concerns.
In recent days, Trump has said it’s “time for Ukraine to get a new president” and that his new fuel deal with Russia will relieve price pressures on Americans.
The president has been actively campaigning in battleground states ahead of the November midterm elections, which could remove Republican control over Congress.
U.S. Republican Senator Thom Tillis said on NBC’s political talk show “Meet the Press” on Sunday that the diesel supply deal could be illegal.
Congress passed a bill in 2022 to ban Russian energy imports.
“I do believe there’s a legitimate case for saying the president’s not following the law,” Tillis said.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent disputed this on Fox News and said the administration will move ahead “with all the legal authorities we have.”
Carney and Zelenskyy also talked on Sunday about increasing coordination with European Union allies to help Ukraine with its air defence needs.
Zelenskyy thanked Carney for his compassion for Ukrainians and said the prime minister is “very well informed” about his country’s defence requirements, “particularly anti-ballistic defense and preparations for winter.”
“It is very good that Canada has become actively involved in developing the FREYJA anti-ballistic system jointly with Europe,” Zelenskyy said in one of a series of posts Sunday about his discussions with world leaders.
FREYJA is a European project to build an alternative to the American Patriot missile anti-air system through the Ukrainian defense company Fire Point.
The Ukrainian leader also spoke Sunday with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Von der Leyen said in a social media post that Ukraine and its military funding needs will be at the centre of this week’s European Council meetings.
Trump meantime posted on social media on Sunday that Ukraine and Russia have agreed to an “energy ceasefire,” which came without any details.
Carney and the Ukrainian leader also talked about this development.
Zelenskyy voiced support for Trump’s “energy ceasefire” later on Sunday. But he also said he is still awaiting details from the White House, and that Russia must back it up by ending its strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
He noted recent strikes on a Kyiv power plant and an energy facility in Kharkiv, which came after Trump’s ceasefire post.
“This past week alone, the Russians have carried out more than 200 strikes on our electricity generation and transmission facilities in Ukraine, and another 17 strikes this week targeted gas and oil facilities,” Zelenskyy said in a social media post.
“Ukraine wants peace. The question is whether Russia does.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 11, 2026.
Kyle Duggan, The Canadian Press
