The consequences of Canada and its allies not supporting Ukraine in its defence against Russian forces “could be devastating” for the whole world, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says.
His remarks Thursday come as dozens of communities across Canada plan to host vigils on Friday to mark one year since Moscow began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.
In the year since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops into the neighbouring country, the world has watched as western nations rallied around Ukraine with financial and military aid, which resulted in not only the defence of the capital, but also a significant counteroffensive that led to Ukrainian troops regaining territory.
“People of Ukraine are not just fighting for protection of their own territory, their language or the identity of their sovereignty, they are fighting to uphold the rules that underpin all of our democracies: territorial integrity, respect for sovereignty, respect for international law and the UN Charter,” Trudeau told reporters in Halifax.
“Russia chose to destabilize that and put all that into question, and it’s not just a question of Russia’s behaviour towards Ukraine or any countries around Russia, it’s a question of other countries around the world wondering that, ‘Oh, perhaps might makes right, now. Perhaps because we have a larger army than our neighbour, we can invade, we can attack.’
“The consequences of Canadians not standing with Ukraine, the world not standing with Ukraine right now, could be devastating … for the entire planet. That’s why Canada and our allies will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine as long as it takes.”
Since Russia’s invasion, the federal government said it has committed over $5 billion in multifaceted support to Ukraine, including over $2.6 billion in assistance, more than $1.2 billion in military aid, $320 million in humanitarian aid, $96 million in development assistance and more than $68 million in security and stabilization programming.
Ahead of the anniversary, G7 foreign ministers said on Tuesday that their countries would continue to impose economic costs on Russia, and urged the broader international community to reject what they described as Moscow’s “brutal expansionism.”
“We will impose further economic costs on Russia, and on individuals and entities – inside and outside of Russia – that provide political or economic support to these violations of international law,” the leaders said in a joint statement.
Joe Biden also said Tuesday that the United States and its partners will announce more sanctions against Russia’s president, the U.S. president said in a speech in Poland following a surprise visit to Ukraine.
Anniversary vigils won’t have ‘celebratory mood’: UCC
Numerous commemorations will be hosted across the nation Friday to mark one year since the invasion.
Ihor Michalchyshyn, executive director of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC), told Global News his organization is promoting 43 events organized by volunteers. They’re occurring across Canada, including in cities such as Toronto, Ottawa, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Winnipeg and Fredericton.
The UCC put out a call to action for as many communities as possible across Canada to organize public events on Friday, and the response shows there is “strong national support” for Ukraine’s fight, Michalchyshyn said.
“We are the largest Ukrainian community outside of Ukraine, and it shows the world that the community here is actively engaged,” he said, referencing the diaspora of 1.4 million Ukrainians in Canada.
“Unfortunately, we have to keep reminding ourselves and through the media that the war is not over, that Putin is doubling down and the pressure on Ukraine is going to increase.”
Michalchyshyn added it’s been a “relentless 365 days of attacks on Ukraine,” and the country will continue to need support from Canada and its allies for the foreseeable future.
“It is not a celebratory mood,” he said of the one-year anniversary.
“We’re marking the resilience of Ukraine, but we are noting the strength of the people even through these tragic circumstances.”
— with files from Reuters