WATCH: Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird was excited by the Prime Minister’s announcement and believes it sends a strong signal of Canada’s support for Ukraine
TORONTO – Prime Minister Stephen Harper will be the first G7 leader to travel to Ukraine to meet with the interim government amid growing instability and violence between pro-Russian and pro-Ukrainian activists.
In Ukraine, Harper will meet with Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk to discuss how Canada and its allies can provide support following Thursday’s announcement from Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird that Canada will contribute $220 million to an international effort to stabilize the Ukraine government’s finances.
Harper will arrive in Kyiv on March 22 . He will then travel to The Hague, Netherlands from March 24-25 for a nuclear security summit, followed by a trip to Germany to meet with Angela Merkel.
READ MORE: International community won’t recognize Crimea vote outcome
“We will continue to work with our allies to support efforts to restore the country to stability and unity so that the people of Ukraine can thrive and prosper free of intimidation and threat,” said Harper in a statement.
Harper was last in Ukraine in October 2010.
Harper will arrive in the days following this Sunday’s hastily called referendum in Crimea, a Ukrainian region now under control of pro-Russia politicians and militias.
The vote will offer Crimeans two options: to join Russia or an independent Crimea. Remaining part of Ukraine is not an option.
Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird says Canada won’t recognize the outcome of the referendum.
“I cannot stress clearly enough that it will not be business as usual,” he said Friday during a press conference. “The international community will not recognize this stunt of a referendum that now threatens to turn from an invasion to an annexation.”
With files from The Canadian Press
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