Zelenskiy seeks international support at conference in Canada:
By RFE/RL
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is due to address a conference in Toronto on July 2 about the progress Ukraine has made combating corruption under a reform program launched in 2014.
His appearance at the third Ukraine Reform Conference is part of an effort aimed at gathering international support for the reform process and for Ukraine's path toward Euro-Atlantic integration.
Co-hosted by Ukraine and Canada, the three-day conference also is being attended by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, foreign ministers, heads of international institutions, and civil society activists. The event begins at 1500 GMT/UTC.
On the sidelines of the gathering, Zelenskiy is scheduled to meet with Trudeau, Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, members of parliament, and business representatives, according to the Ukrainian presidential office.
Zelenskiy and Trudeau will discuss "Ukraine's reform efforts on its path to Euro-Atlantic integration, the security situation in the region, and how to further deepen Canada-Ukraine commercial relations," the Canadian prime minister's office said in a statement.
Zelenskiy was inaugurated as president on May 20. His visit to Canada comes ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Ukraine set for July 21.
"Taking place between presidential and parliamentary elections, this conference comes at an opportune time to reinforce the foundations of democratic reform and maintain the momentum" created at the previous conferences held in London in 2017 and Copenhagen last year, the Canadian government said in a statement.
The event "will highlight the importance of making the existing reforms irreversible and will demonstrate our support for Ukraine's sovereignty, security and prosperity," it added.
Zelenskiy has vowed that under his leadership Ukraine will implement reforms and intensify the fight against corruption, and reaffirmed the country's course toward European Union and NATO membership.
Moscow has made explicit its opposition to NATO's further expansion, especially as regarding Ukraine and Georgia. Tbilisi is also seeking to become a member of the Western military alliance.
Zelenskiy has also urged his country's Western backers to keep "pressure" on Moscow over its seizure of Ukraine's Crimea region in March 2014 and its support for the separatists holding parts of eastern Ukraine in a conflict that has killed some 13,000 people since April 2014.
This ends our live blogging for July 1. Be sure to check back tomorrow for our continuing coverage.