Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a surprise trip to Ukraine on Sunday amid Russia’s ongoing invasion and met with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky to show Canada’s support for the country and its people.
At a joint news conference with Green, Trudeau said Canada would provide more military assistance to Ukraine in the form of drone cameras, satellite imagery, small arms, ammunition and funding for mine clearance operations.
The announcement comes two weeks after Trudeau said Canada would send heavy artillery to Ukraine.
The prime minister also announced more sanctions against 40 Russian individuals and five legal entities. These include oligarchs and close associates of the Kremlin and Russia’s defense sector.
In addition, Canada is providing $ 25 million to the World Food Security Program in Ukraine and eliminating trade tariffs on all Ukrainian imports into Canada, Trudeau said. There will also be new funding for organizations in Ukraine that support women’s rights, civil society and human rights.
“We will continue to do whatever it takes to stand with Ukraine, not only because it is the right thing to do or because Ukrainians are our friends, but also because it upholds the principles of democracy that keep Canadians safe,” Trudeau told reporters. Sunday. .
The prime minister also took part in virtual meetings with G7 leaders to talk about the war in Ukraine. In a joint statement, G7 leaders pledged to phase out Russian energy, isolate the Russian economy, fight disinformation during the war and continue sanctions against Russia’s elite.
Zelensky expressed his gratitude and told reporters that the Canadian government’s assistance to Ukraine was more than enough, calling Canada a country from which “we also cannot ask for more.”
During this visit, Trudeau was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Christia Freeland and Foreign Minister Melanie Jolie. They arrived in Ukraine on Sunday morning and began their tour with a tour of the devastating Kiev suburb of Irpen, which was heavily bombed before Russian forces retreated.
“When I was in Irpin this morning, I saw how much Ukrainians can do by facing a force eight times greater than them, defending their homes, defending their land, repelling the Russian illegal invasion. It’s an inspiration, “he said.
Trudeau also announced the reopening of the Canadian embassy in Kyiv. To mark the reopening, he attended a Canadian flag-raising ceremony at the embassy with Freeland, Jolie and Canadian Ambassador to Ukraine Larissa Galadza.
The embassy has been closed since early February as Western intelligence warned that a Russian invasion seemed imminent. Initially, the diplomatic staff was moved to the western city of Lviv, but then all moved to Poland.
“This flag fell on February 13 and we are really happy to raise it again,” the prime minister told reporters at the embassy. “The development of the Canadian flag in Kyiv is once again an incredible testament to the strength and solidarity of Canadians in Ukraine.
The first attempt to raise the flag was thwarted by a damage to the cable, before a second successful attempt at a ceremony shared by Canadian officials and Serhiy Mayer, one of Ukraine’s security guards who cared for the empty building.
Mayer was personally grateful to the Prime Minister, who described the raising of the flag as an important symbolic moment in the friendship between Canada and Ukraine.
THE VISIT IS “MASSIVE” IMPORTANT SIGNAL: FORMER AMBASSADOR OF UKRAINE
Andrei Shevchenko, Ukraine’s former ambassador to Canada, says Trudeau’s visit sends a “massive” signal.
“This is not just another sign of solidarity,” he told CTV on Sunday.
“(Trudeau) has a very decent understanding of what is happening here. But now he had the opportunity to see it with his own eyes,” Shevchenko said. “I think it’s very important that he has that understanding.”
The time of Trudeau’s visit also falls the day before Russia’s Victory Day, which celebrates the Soviet Union’s victory in World War II over Nazi Germany. Some observers believe that Russian President Vladimir Putin may use the May 9 celebrations to declare either a symbolic victory over Ukraine or a further escalation of the conflict.
“I think those who are here in Kyiv – they appreciated the time of this visit,” said the former ambassador. “Yes, it is true that the Russians are obsessed with this mythology for May 9 and there is a lot of news and talk about what could happen in the next 24 hours.”
US First Lady Jill Biden also paid an unannounced visit to the country on Mother’s Day, meeting with local mothers and her Ukrainian counterpart in the southwestern city of Uzhgorod.
With files from The Canadian Press
Today I am in Ukraine with @cafreeland and @melaniejoly. We are here to show our support for Ukraine and its people. Our message to President @ZelenskyyUa and the Ukrainians is this: Canada will always stand side by side with Ukraine. Even during our visit.
– Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) May 8, 2022
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is raising a maple leaf over the embassy in Kyiv when it reopens. Trudeau spent the day with Ukrainian President Zelensky. pic.twitter.com/FNQ7pq68Aj
– Paul Workman (@PaulCTV) May 8, 2022
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