As allies visit Ukraine's capital, Canada's absence is being noticed

In the month since Russia's retreat from Ukraine's north, the capital Kyiv has seen a frenzy of high-profile visitors: 11 prime ministers, Austria's chancellor, the U.S. secretaries of state and defence, its House speaker, the UN secretary-general — even Hollywood star Angelina Jolie.

Canada has not sent even a cabinet minister.

Ukraine has noticed.

"When you physically see a friend, an ally … present in the capital, that would mean a lot," said Andriy Shevchenko, who was until recently Ukraine's ambassador to Canada.

It's not just the question of a visit. 

Twenty seven nations have reopened diplomatic posts in Kyiv — but Canada's embassy in Kyiv remains locked up, vacated prior to the start of the war.

"Canada was one of the first countries to move the embassy out. We do not want Canada to be the last one to return," said Shevchenko.

Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly has said plans are in the works to reopen. 

"We need to make sure the security situation on the ground allows for it," her office said in a statement.

Others have moved faster. Poland and Georgia never left. Italy and The Netherlands reopened their mission, as did the United Kingdom.

Kyiv is "the right place to be," Britain's ambassador told The Guardian newspaper.

With the largest Ukrainian diaspora outside former Soviet states, Canada has claimed to be one of Kyiv's biggest supporters, making the absence of a high profile visit and an open embassy all the more puzzling for some.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's office did not directly respond to a question about a possible visit, but said in a statement that he and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky "remain in frequent contact, in addition to regular contact across the federal government with their Ukrainian counterparts."

Many VIP visits to Ukraine's capital include stops north of the city where Russia left a trail of destruction in its aborted northern front.