Zelenskyy lands in North Bay

12-Sep-2026

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After signing a 100-year partnership declaration and drone collaboration agreement with Prime Minister Mark Carney, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stopped briefly in northern Ontario on September 11.

He was greeted by a crowd of a few dozen people, who lined up at North Bay’s Jack Garland to get a glimpse of Zelenskyy and his wife, Olena Zelenska, as their plane touched down in the late afternoon.

After shaking a few hands, he and his entourage walked to the International Tactical Training Centre hangar at the airport, where dozens of Ukrainian fighter jet pilots are being trained.

“I met with our military pilots who are training at the International Test Pilots School in Canada,” Zelenskyy said in a video posted to social media following his stop in North Bay.

“The guys are training to master modern fighter jets, including F-16s and Gripens, and strengthen Ukraine’s combat aviation. We’re doing everything we can to protect our skies and the key to that is having good, motivated pilots. We’re proud that Ukraine and our armed forces have a generation of young pilots like this.”

“I’m really happy that Canada also supports Ukraine when it’s difficult for us,” said Markus Kozhevin, a Ukrainian from Kyiv who has been living in North Bay since 2022.

“Then we will all support Canada when it will be difficult for Canada.”