Turn of the Prime Minister of Canada to make a surprise visit to Ukraine. Justin Trudeau reiterated Canada’s “unwavering” support for the Ukrainian people in the face of Russia’s aggression and praised the “extraordinary leadership” of his counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, whom he first encountered since the beginning of the conflict.
Mr. also took advantage. Trudeau made this visit to announce a series of new measures to help kyiv in a joint press briefing with the Ukrainian president.
Ottawa will provide $ 50 million in additional military assistance, which includes drone cameras, satellite imagery technology, ammunition and financial support for mine clearance operations.
Justin Trudeau also announced the removal of tariffs on Ukrainian imports as well as the payment of $ 25 million to the World Food Program to ensure food security in Ukraine.
In addition to these relief measures, Ottawa will impose sanctions against 40 other individuals and five Russian entities. According to the Prime Minister, it is oligarchs, close associates of the regime and the defense sector, all complicit in Vladimir Putin’s war.
Is this help too late? a reporter asked President Zelensky. Seeing embarrassed, the Ukrainian leader just remembered that time was gone in negotiations what needs to be done.
However, Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his gratitude for Canada’s $ 1.5 billion in aid, the largest after the United States.
On this surprise visit abroad, Justin Trudeau was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland, as well as Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly.
The Prime Minister also confirmed the gradual reopening of the Canadian Embassy in Kyiv and received Ambassador Larisa Galadza in the imminent capital.
Among other things, Justin Trudeau attended the raising of the maple leaf flag above the Canadian embassy in the Ukrainian capital. The flag was raised next to the building, as the first flagpole selected was damaged.
The Prime Minister also traveled to Irpin, a suburb of Kyiv, where he saw some of the heaviest fighting during the armed conflict in March, when Russian forces tried to invade the capital.
” This morning in Irpin, I saw all the brutality of the Russian aggression, but also the resilience of the Ukrainians who had to face a resistance sometimes eight times greater to defend their homes and the entire city of kyiv. “
He also went to Boucha, the scene of another massacre attributed to Russian forces.
The Prime Minister has reassigned responsibility for them heinous war crimes to Vladimir Putin.
A secret visit
For security reasons, the greatest secret surrounds the preparation of this visit. There was no media access to some places visited by Mr. Trudeau and his entourage. However, photos of the prime minister’s visit to Irpin were posted on Twitter by the city mayor.
This visit took place on the same day that Russian missiles landed the port city of Odessa in the south of the country and intense fighting took place in the east of the country, specifically around Kharkiv, the second largest city in Ukraine.
In March, Mr. traveled. Trudeau in Warsaw, Poland, where he announced the application of sanctions against Russian oligarchs in the wake of the punitive measures adopted after the Russian army’s invasion of Ukraine.
Several other government leaders have traveled to Ukraine in solidarity since the fighting began, including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Austrian Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also visited the country.
Source: Radio-Canada
