Canada is on the cusp of finalizing a defence co-operation agreement with Ukraine, and the country's ambassador tells CBC News he's hopeful the Trudeau government will soon allow Canadian companies to export weapons to the embattled nation.

Deepening ties and showing solidarity with the war-weary government in Kyiv is one of the major themes of the next few days as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau departs this afternoon for high-level meetings in eastern Europe.

The defence co-operation deal would allow for more direct Canadian military and defence industrial support for Ukraine.

This has been excerpted from the 7 July edition of CBC News and is available in its entirety at:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ukraine-weapons-trade-deal-nato-1.3667506