Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met his British counterpart and other world leaders in London on Sunday, as talk of the economy and the war in Ukraine took their place alongside the sombre preparations for Queen Elizabeth鈥檚 funeral.

Trudeau spent about 40 minutes at 10 Downing Street early in the afternoon for a meeting with Liz Truss.

Leaders from across the world have made the trip to London to mourn Britain鈥檚 longest-serving monarch. While the focus of the trip is Monday鈥檚 funeral, Trudeau also took the time to meet with fellow leaders including Truss and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

At an afternoon news conference, he said the ongoing war in Ukraine was top of the agenda for his meeting with Truss after he first offered condolences over the loss of the queen.

鈥淥bviously the UK and Canada have been two of the strongest countries in standing up in support of Ukraine and pushing back against Russia鈥檚 illegal actions, which increasingly clearly include war crimes,鈥� he said.

Trudeau referred to a mass burial site that has been reported near a recaptured northeastern city previously occupied by Russian forces, as well as earlier reports of killings and torture in Bucha outside the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. He called for Russia and its president to be held accountable.

鈥淰ladimir Putin, his supporters and the Russian military need to be held to account for the atrocities they have and are continuing to commit in Ukraine,鈥� Trudeau said.

The prime minister said he and his British counterpart also discussed inflation and the negotiations for a Canada-UK trade deal, which he said were 鈥渁dvancing well.鈥�

Trudeau鈥檚 meeting with Albanese took place at a London hotel.

He said the two leaders were meeting at a time of 鈥渞eflection and condolences,鈥� but also had important matters to discuss.

He suggested the meeting would include discussions on climate change, geopolitical issues and economic growth.

Trudeau was also set to meet Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and participate in an evening reception at Buckingham Palace later on Sunday before attending the queen鈥檚 state funeral Monday morning.

Trudeau praised the late monarch for her 鈥�70 years of extraordinary service to Canada鈥� and her ability to connect with the public.

鈥淓very time I got to meet with Her Majesty, her generosity and her gracefulness made that moment the most important ever,鈥� he said. 鈥淪he had a way of reaching out and connecting with whoever she met with, and connecting with crowds and people who only saw her on television.鈥�

Trudeau brushed off a question about whether the death of the well-loved sovereign was the right time to reconsider Canada鈥檚 ties to the monarchy 鈥� a proposition echoed by former environment minister Catherine McKenna in a tweet.

He said that while 鈥渢here are always moments for reflection,鈥� Canadians expected him to focus on other issues such as the economy, the cost of living, housing and climate change.

Jean Chr茅tien, one of the four former prime ministers travelling with Trudeau as part of the Canadian delegation to London, described the queen as someone with 鈥渟tar power鈥� who commanded respect.

He drew laughs when he told a story about singing the national anthem for the queen in the Northwest Territories in 1970, only to realize he didn鈥檛 know the words in English.

鈥淚 was sweating,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y wife had never been so shy in her lifetime.鈥�

He said he met then-Prince Charles the next summer, and was told his singing of 鈥極 Canada鈥� had become 鈥減art of royal folklore.鈥�

Mark Tewksbury, a former gold-medal-winning swimmer who is part of the Canadian delegation, said being able to participate in the ceremony meant something 鈥渁lmost beyond words.鈥�

鈥淓ven to be walking through Westminster Abbey, walking through some of the graves of some of the scientists and Darwin, wow, this is hallowed ground,鈥� said Tewksbury, who participated in a rehearsal for the funeral.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a reverence and a beautiful solemnness to what鈥檚 going to happen.鈥�

He said he and actress Sandra Oh were invested into the Order of Canada at a ceremony at Canada House in London on Saturday 鈥� which was a prerequisite to wear the official attire at the funeral, he said. Previous ceremonies were delayed because of COVID-19, he added.

Morgan Lowrie, The Canadian Press

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