Canada has been one of the key partners of Ukraine ever since it became the first Western nation to recognize Ukraine’s independence on December 2, 1991. It constantly supported sanctions against the Russian Federation after its first acts of aggression back in 2014, and now, during the full-scale Russia-Ukraine war, Canada has stepped up the scale of its support to Ukraine as well, imposing sanctions, providing military and humanitarian aid, giving refuge for Ukrainians fleeing war, etc.
Since 2014, Canada has provided Ukraine with more than $890 million in multifaceted assistance, and supporting Ukraine’s security sector and defence reform has remained a flagship area of the two states’ cooperation. Since February 24, 2022, Canada has imposed sanctions on more than 1,000 individuals and entities from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. In March 2022, in response to the numerous allegations of serious international crimes committed by Russian forces in Ukraine, including war crimes and crimes against humanity, Canada referred the situation in Ukraine to the International Criminal Court (ICC), in concert with other ICC member states.
Amidst Russia blocking Ukrainian export of grain and provoking a global food crisis, Canada has pledged $50 million to prevent Ukrainian grain from going to waste and promised to ship grain storage equipment to Ukraine so it can store this year’s harvest and hopefully get it to market.
Canada-Ukraine bilateral relations do not depend on official ties only: they are strengthened by an active Ukrainian-Canadian community of more than 1.4 million citizens. In fact, Canada is home to the world’s second largest Ukrainian diaspora. Strong connection between the two nations makes Canada’s commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence even stronger.
Speakers:
- Yvan Baker, Canadian MP, Chair of Canada-Ukraine parliamentary friendship group
- Richard Colvin, Canadian Chargé d’affaires at Canadian Embassy in Kyiv
- Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, Ukrainian MP, Chair of the Committee on European Union Integration.
UKRAINE IN FLAMES project is created by Ukraine Crisis Media Center, Ukrainian Catholic University’s analitical center and NGO “Euroatlantic Course”. We are aiming at searching a loud support for Ukraine in the war started by Russia on the 24th of February 2022.
If you want to support Ukraine against Russian aggression, check the link with recommendations by Ukraine Crisis Media Center – https://uacrisis.org/en/help-ukraine.
NGO Euroatlantic Course collects donations to support Ukrainian Army and civilians – https://eac.org.ua/en/main-page/.
