Prime Minister Justin Trudeau paid a surprise visit to Kyiv on Sunday, meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, touring a blackened, bombed-out suburban community and pledging enduring support for the embattled country.
He also reopened the Canadian Embassy and welcomed the ambassador back to the capital, Kyiv. Trudeau was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly and an armed security detachment.
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Trudeau visited the city of Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, which was the scene of some of the heaviest fighting in March as Russian forces attempted to storm the capital.
Ukrainian troops effectively halted the advance in the area and pushed back the invasion force.
At a news conference with Zelensky, Trudeau praised Ukraine’s president for his leadership and the courage of Ukrainians in defending their country, including those in Irpin.
“It was a true inspiration to see people step up to defend their lives, defend their community, defend a bright future for themselves and their families in the country they love,” the prime minister said.
During a surprise visit to Ukraine, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, attends a news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, on Sunday. (Efrem Lukatsky/The Associated Press)
He joined a parade of other leaders, dignitaries and celebrities who’ve visited Ukraine to show their support. Rock musicians Bono and The Edge of U2 gave a surprise concert at a Kyiv subway station several blocks from the presidential palace on Sunday.
Trudeau’s visit came on the same day that Russian missiles pounded the southern port city of Odesa, and as rescuers combed the ruins of a school in the eastern Luhansk district, where more than 60 people are thought to have perished in a Russia strike. There was heavy fighting in other eastern portions of the country, including around Kharkiv, the second-largest city in Ukraine.
As Trudeau met with Zelensky on Sunday, air raid sirens sounded in the district near the presidential palace, an area of neatly trimmed hedges and gardens that are now cut with giant, jagged trenches and sandbagged barriers.
Trudeau said it was clear that Russian President Vladimir Putin was responsible for “heinous war crimes” and that Canada would support Ukraine in seeking justice. At the news conference, he also announced military aid in the form of additional drone cameras, satellite imagery, small arms and more artillery shells for the M-777 howitzers Canada has provided.
“I don’t think it much matters what Putin says anymore,” Trudeau said in an exclusive interview with Reuters. “He has demonstrated that he does not have a clear understanding of what’s going on.
“He so profoundly miscalculated by not understanding the extent to which Ukrainians would fight like the heroes they are to defend their language, their identity, their territory. Nor did he understand the resolve with which Western countries would come together to stand up for our democracy and give Ukraine the tools needed to win this war against Putin.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who visited Ukraine on Sunday, said Russian President Vladimir Putin did not understand how intensely Ukrainians would fight to defend themselves from invasion. 0:34
‘Ukraine will prevail’
At the news conference, the prime minister also announced that all duties on Ukrainian imports to Canada would be removed for the next year and that the federal government would place sanctions on Russian individuals and entities.
Asked whether NATO countries were concerned about threats of Russian nuclear warfare, Trudeau said that “no amount of irresponsible sabre-rattling” will deter Ukraine’s supporters.
“Putin and his accomplices will fail. Ukraine will prevail,” Trudeau said at the end of his remarks.
WATCH | Trudeau visits Ukraine as Canada reopens its embassy:
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visits Ukraine
8 hours ago
Duration 2:37
CBC News breaks down Trudeau’s surprise visit to Ukraine amid the Russian invasion. 2:37
During the news conference, Zelensky said he welcomed Canadian support, referring to Trudeau as the leader of a country from which Ukraine could not ask for more support.
Zelensky noted, however, that Canada could be influential in persuading other, more heavily armed NATO members to provide more advanced weaponry to Ukraine.
He also pressed Trudeau to support Ukraine’s call for a modern-day Marshall Plan — a reference to an Allied program to reconstruct the economies of western and southern Europe following the Second World War — for his war-shattered country.
G7 leaders pledge ‘full solidarity’ with Ukraine
Trudeau’s visit was carried out under a news blackout. However, photos of his visit to Irpin were posted on Twitter by the city’s mayor, who met with the prime minister. Trudeau’s visit came on the same day G7 leaders were set to discuss the war in Ukraine, meetings in which Trudeau and Zelensky took part.
In a communiqué issued after the talks, the leaders condemned Russia — which was kicked out of the group in 2014 — and promised “full solidarity and support for Ukraine’s courageous defence of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
The G7 leaders began their statement by marking Victory in Europe Day, the anniversary of the Allied victory over Nazi Germany in the Second World War, a day that is celebrated on May 9 in Russia and Ukraine.
Trudeau, second from right, speaks with Oleksandr Markushyn, centre, the mayor of Irpin, Ukraine, on Sunday. Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, was the scene of some of the heaviest fighting in March as Russian forces attempted to storm the capital. (Irpin Mayor’s Office/The Associated Press)
Seventy-seven years after the end of the war, the G7 leaders said, “President Putin and his regime now chose to invade Ukraine in an unprovoked war of aggression against a sovereign country. His actions bring shame on Russia and the historic sacrifices of its people.”
There is concern that Russia will use its Victory Day event on Monday to mobilize its population in support of escalating the war in Ukraine.
The G7 leaders also promised on Sunday “further commitments to help Ukraine secure its free and democratic future,” including action on military aid, sanctions, cyber defence, financial support and human rights violation investigations.
“We remain united in our resolve that President Putin must not win his war against Ukraine. We owe it to the memory of all those who fought for freedom in the Second World War, to continue fighting for it today, for the people of Ukraine, Europe and the global community.”
Trudeau walks with Markushyn, right, Irpin’s mayor, on Sunday. (Irpin Mayor’s Office/The Associated Press)
Earlier on Sunday, Trudeau took part in a low-key flag-raising at the reopened Canadian Embassy in Kyiv, a symbolic moment that went slightly awry when it was discovered the mechanism to raise the flag on the chosen pole was not working. The flag ended up getting raised on a pole at a metal stairwell on the side of the building.
“This flag came down on Feb. 13th, and we’re really glad to be raising it again above the Canadian embassy,” Trudeau said.
The prime minister made a point of thanking and shaking hands with Sergei Maier, the Ukrainian head of the security team that kept watch over the embassy while it was closed. Maier took the gesture in stride and said he was only doing his job.
The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine’s capital also reopened on Sunday.
Montreal Alouettes wide receiver Tyson Philpot has announced he will be out for the rest of the CFL season.
The Delta, B.C., native posted the news on his Instagram page Thursday.
“To Be Continued. Shoutout my team, the fans of the CFL and the whole city of Montreal! I can’t wait to be back healthy and write this next chapter in 2025,” the statement read.
Philpot, 24, injured his foot in a 33-23 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Aug. 10 and was placed on the six-game injured list the next week.
The six-foot-one, 195-pound receiver had 58 receptions, 779 yards and five touchdowns in nine games for the league-leading Alouettes in his third season.
Philpot scored the game-winning touchdown in Montreal’s Grey Cup win last season to punctuate a six-reception, 63-yard performance.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sustained a concussion for the third time in his NFL career, leaving his team’s game Thursday night against Buffalo after running into defensive back Damar Hamlin and hitting the back of his head against the turf.
Tagovailoa remained down for about two minutes before getting to his feet and walking to the sideline after the play in the third quarter. He made his way to the tunnel not long afterward, looking into the stands before smiling and departing toward the locker room.
The Dolphins needed almost no time before announcing it was a concussion. The team said he had two during the 2022 season, and Tagovailoa was diagnosed with another concussion when he was a college player at Alabama.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa would get “proper procedural evaluation” and “appropriate care” on Friday.
“The furthest thing from my mind is, ‘What is the timeline?’ We just need to evaluate and just worry about my teammate, like the rest of the guys are,” McDaniel said. “We’ll get more information tomorrow and take it day by day from here.”
Some players saw Tagovailoa in the locker room after the game and said they were encouraged. Tagovailoa spoke with some players and then went home after the game, McDaniel said.
“I have a lot of love for Tua, built a great relationship with him,” said quarterback Skylar Thompson, who replaced Tagovailoa after the injury. “You care about the person more than the player and everybody in the organization would say the same thing. Just really praying for Tua and hopefully everything will come out all right.”
Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212 million extension before this season — a deal that makes him one of the highest-paid players in the NFL — and was the NFL’s leading passer in Week 1 this season. Tagovailoa left with the Dolphins trailing 31-10, and that was the final score.
“If you know Tua outside of football, you can’t help but feel for him,” Bills quarterback Josh Allen said on Amazon following the game. “He’s a great football player but he’s an even greater human being. He’s one of the best humans on the planet. I’ve got a lot of love for him and I’m just praying for him and his family, hoping everything’s OK. But it’s tough, man. This game of football that we play, it’s got its highs and it’s got its lows — and this is one of the lows.”
Tagovailoa’s college years and first three NFL seasons were marred by injury, though he positioned himself for a big pay bump with an injury-free and productive 2023 as he led the Dolphins into the playoffs. He threw for 29 touchdowns and a league-best 4,624 yards last year.
When, or if, he can come back this season is anyone’s guess. Tagovailoa said in April 2023 that the concussions he had in the 2022 season left him contemplating his playing future. “I think I considered it for a time,” he said then, when asked if he considered stepping away from the game to protect himself.
McDaniel said it’s not his place to say if Tagovailoa should return to football. “He’ll be evaluated and we’ll have conversations and progress as appropriate,” McDaniel said.
Tagovailoa was hurt Thursday on a fourth-down keeper with about 4:30 left in the third. He went straight ahead into Hamlin and did not slide, leading with his right shoulder instead.
Hamlin was the player who suffered a cardiac arrest after making a tackle during a Monday night game in January 2023 at Cincinnati, causing the NFL to suspend a pivotal game that quickly lost significance in the aftermath of a scary scene that unfolded in front of a national television audience.
Tagovailoa wound up on his back, both his hands in the air and Bills players immediately pointed at him as if to suggest there was an injury. Dolphins center Aaron Brewer quickly did the same, waving to the sideline.
Tagovailoa appeared to be making a fist with his right hand as he lay on the ground. It was movement consistent with something that is referred to as the “fencing response,” which can be common after a traumatic brain injury.
Tagovailoa eventually got to his feet. McDaniel grabbed the side of his quarterback’s head and gave him a kiss on the cheek as Tagovailoa departed. Thompson came into the game to take Tagovailoa’s spot.
“I love Tua on and off the football field,” Bills edge Von Miller said. “I’m a huge fan of him. I can empathize and sympathize with him because I’ve been there. I wish him the best.”
Tagovailoa’s history with concussions — and how he has since worked to avoid them — is a huge part of the story of his career, and now comes to the forefront once again.
He had at least two concussions during the 2022 season. He was hurt in a Week 3 game against Buffalo and cleared concussion protocol, though he appeared disoriented on that play but returned to the game.
The NFL later changed its concussion protocol to mandate that if a player shows possible concussion symptoms — including a lack of balance or stability — he must sit out the rest of the game.
Less than a week later, in a Thursday night game at Cincinnati, Tagovailoa was concussed on a scary hit that briefly knocked him unconscious and led to him being taken off the field on a stretcher.
His second known concussion of that season came in a December game against Green Bay, and he didn’t play for the rest of the 2022 season. After that, Tagovailoa began studying ways where he may be able to fall more safely and protect himself against further injury — including studying jiu-jitsu.
“I’m not worried about anything that’s out of my hands,” McDaniel said. “I’m just worried about the human being.”
NEW YORK (AP) — When her husband turns on the television to hear news about the upcoming presidential election, that’s often a signal for Lori Johnson Malveaux to leave the room.
It can get to be too much. Often, she’ll go to a TV in another room to watch a movie on the Hallmark Channel or BET. She craves something comforting and entertaining. And in that, she has company.
While about half of Americans say they are following political news “extremely” or “very” closely, about 6 in 10 say they need to limit how much information they consume about the government and politics to avoid feeling overloaded or fatigued, according to a new survey from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and USAFacts.
Make no mistake: Malveaux plans to vote. She always does. “I just get to the point where I don’t want to hear the rhetoric,” she said.
The 54-year-old Democrat said she’s most bothered when she hears people on the news telling her that something she saw with her own eyes — like the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol — didn’t really happen.
“I feel like I’m being gaslit. That’s the way to put it,” she said.
Sometimes it feels like ‘a bombardment’
Caleb Pack, 23, a Republican from Ardmore, Oklahoma, who works in IT, tries to keep informed through the news feeds on his phone, which is stocked with a variety of sources, including CNN, Fox News, The Wall Street Journal and The Associated Press.
Yet sometimes, Pack says, it seems like a bombardment.
“It’s good to know what’s going on, but both sides are pulling a little bit extreme,” he said. “It just feels like it’s a conversation piece everywhere, and it’s hard to escape it.”
Media fatigue isn’t a new phenomenon. A Pew Research Center survey conducted in late 2019 found roughly two in three Americans felt worn out by the amount of news there is, about the same as in a poll taken in early 2018. During the 2016 presidential campaign, about 6 in 10 people felt overloaded by campaign news.
But it can be particularly acute with news related to politics. The AP-NORC/USAFacts poll found that half of Americans feel a need to limit their consumption of information related to crime or overseas conflicts, while only about 4 in 10 are limiting news about the economy and jobs.
It’s easy to understand, with television outlets like CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC full of political talk and a wide array of political news online, sometimes complicated by disinformation.
“There’s a glut of information,” said Richard Coffin, director of research and advocacy for USAFacts, “and people are having a hard time figuring out what is true or not.”
Women are more likely to feel they need to limit media
In the AP-NORC poll, about 6 in 10 men said they follow news about elections and politics at least “very” closely, compared to about half of women. For all types of news, not just politics, women are more likely than men to report the need to limit their media consumption, the survey found.
White adults are also more likely than Black or Hispanic adults to say they need to limit media consumption on politics, the poll found.
Kaleb Aravzo, 19, a Democrat, gets a baseline of news by listening to National Public Radio in the morning at home in Logan, Utah. Too much politics, particularly when he’s on social media sites like TikTok and Instagram, can trigger anxiety and depression.
“If it pops up on my page when I’m on social media,” he said, “I’ll just scroll past it.”
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Sanders reported from Washington. David Bauder writes about media for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder.
The AP poll of 1,019 adults was conducted July 29-August 8, 2024, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.0 percentage points.
