Russia‘s invasion of Ukraine is not a war but a battle between the “evil and democratic world,” says Leisa Zaburanna, an Ukrainian MP who recently travelled to Canada alongside a delegation of legislators from Ukraine with an important message for Ottawa.
“We would like to highlight that it’s not a war between Russia and Ukraine,” Zaburanna told Global News’ Mercedes Stevenson on The West Block. “It’s a war between evil and democratic world.”
“We need more support from your people, from your government, from your Parliament,” she said.
“We are looking for financial assistance and we hope that Canada can be a leader in this sphere and also help us to heave effective negotiation with other countries in this aspect,” added Zaburanna, who is the chair of the delegation.
The group of Ukrainian parliamentarians are in Ottawa this week to meet Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other federal government officials in a desperate bid to secure more support for their besieged nation.
The delegation has dismissed the prospects for a negotiated peace as another failed attempt to rescue civilians from the city of Mariupol and an explosion at a Russian fuel depot Friday threatened to undermine the latest round of talks.
The Ukrainian legislators instead listed three priority areas in which they said Ukraine needs more help: further sanctions on Russia, financial assistance and more weapons.
“We don’t need long negotiations. We need actions and the Canadian people can push the government to act,” Zaburanna said.
Global News has learned Ukraine is asking the Canadian government for more ammunition for Carl-Gustaf anti-tank weapons.
That request, made in recent weeks in the form of an official letter, comes after Canada shipped around 100 of the launchers and around 2,000 rounds of ammunition in late February, shortly after Russia began its unprovoked and bloody invasion.
Sources say the Ukrainians went through those munitions quickly given the intensity of the combat.
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A government source said Canada is planning to meet that request and is looking at sending another 1,000 rounds.
Defence Minister Anita Anand‘s office said they do not have any details to share at this time about any future shipments to Ukraine, but a spokesperson, Daniel Minden, noted that more lethal aid is in the works.
“As you may know, last week, the Prime Minister confirmed that Canada will be sending more lethal equipment to Ukraine in the coming days and weeks,” Minden said in an email.
Trudeau and Anand said last week that Canada was looking at buying more weapons for Ukraine, but did not provide specifics.
Trudeau convened the Incident Response Group on Friday to discuss the war in Ukraine with ministers and senior officials. The group “explored options to further respond to Ukraine’s evolving needs,” according to a handout from the Prime Minister’s Office, and discussed the military aid that Canada has provided the country to date.
“The Prime Minister, ministers, and officials remain determined to continue providing urgent support to Ukraine,” the handout read.
Last month, Canada sent $7.8 million worth of lethal equipment and ammunition to Ukraine as Russia continued to escalate tension in the region.
After a trip to Brussels last week, Trudeau announced $50 million in additional humanitarian assistance for Ukraine while also levying new sanctions against dozens of Russian officials.
— with files from Global News’ Amanda Connolly and The Canadian Press
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