Washington - Agencies: U.S. President Donald Trump had a phone call with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, during which they discussed a range of international and regional issues, including the conflict in Ukraine, U.S. border security, and the G7 virtual summit scheduled for Monday.

G7 Summit and Ukraine

The call came as leaders of the Group of Seven industrialized nations are preparing for a virtual meeting on Monday, with the participation of the NATO Secretary General and leaders of the European Union, as well as the leaders of Romania and Poland, to discuss developments in the Ukrainian crisis, according to Russia Today.

The White House confirmed in a statement that Trump and Trudeau expressed their desire to end the three-year-long war in Ukraine, without providing details on the steps that may be taken to achieve that.

Border Security and Trade Disputes

The two leaders also discussed the issue of U.S.-Canada border security, which is a sensitive topic for Canadian officials, especially after Trump imposed tariffs on certain Canadian goods, justifying it as a measure against drug trafficking across the border.

According to Fox News, Trump agreed on February 3 to suspend these tariffs for 30 days, which means they could return in early March unless a new agreement is reached.

During the call, Trudeau noted that Canada has managed to reduce the flow of fentanyl into the United States by 90%, stressing that the Canadian border official will visit Washington next week to hold talks with Tom Homan, the immigration official in the Trump administration, whom the latter referred to as the “Border Czar.”

Tension in Relations and Controversial Statements

These discussions come amid increasing tension between Trump and Trudeau, particularly due to trade disputes and the issue of tariffs, as well as Trump's stated interest in incorporating Canada into the United States.

Earlier in February, Trudeau stated that he believes Trump is “serious” about turning Canada into the 51st U.S. state, referring to the U.S. President's comments on the trade deficit between the two countries, which he deemed “unjustified.”