KYIV, June 13 - President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday thanked leaders of the Group of Seven (G-7) nations for their support after they urged Russia to withdraw troops from the Ukrainian border.

Zelensky in a tweet on Sunday said he was grateful to the G-7 leaders for voicing their support of his country in the conflict.

"Commend the unwavering support by #G7 states in the Summit's communiqué," Zelenskiy said. "Grateful to leaders for the continued support for Ukraine's independence & sovereignty & the call to the aggressor to withdraw troops from Ukraine's borders & Crimea. #Crimea is Ukraine!"

The leaders of the G-7 called for Russia to withdraw its troops and weapons from the from the Ukraine's eastern border, where the ongoing conflict has killed 14,00 people since 2014, Reuters noted.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, ahead of a NATO meeting, reiterated Canada’s broad support for Ukraine, but not whether it will back a move by Kyiv to join the military alliance amid tensions with Russia, Globe & Mail reported.

The federal government said last week Canada will continue to help address security threats in the region, but did not go as far as saying it would throw its unbridled support behind Ukraine’s push for NATO membership at the summit.

Ukraine’s call to join NATO comes ahead of this week’s first face-to-face meeting in Geneva between U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin, after years of strained relations between Moscow and western nations.

Russia’s military buildup on Ukraine’s border, Moscow’s 2014 annexation of Crimea, alleged Russian interference in U.S. elections, and allegations that the Kremlin was behind the SolarWinds hacking campaign have all contributed to inflamed tensions.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has publicly lobbied to join the military alliance, raising the issue recently in separate discussions with Trudeau and Biden.

A readout from the Prime Minister’s Office said Trudeau and Zelenskiy discussed Russia’s actions, and “highlighted Canada’s continuing support for Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations” when they spoke last Tuesday.

Asked specifically whether Canada supports Ukraine having a membership action plan from NATO, a Trudeau spokeswoman said there was nothing to add. (th/gm/ez)