generalspeaking

"The Real Fight"

"Whether it takes five months or fifty years to liberate it, Canada will never, ever recognize the illegal Russian occupation of any Ukrainian territory."
"For Canadians, with our deep connections to the Ukrainian people, this is not to us just a matter of international law or political principle. This is a matter of kinship. This is a matter of family. This is personal."
Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Canada

"It's not true anymore [that Ukraine gained independence from Russia] without shedding a single drop of blood, because now is the real fight for our independence. Today Ukrainians are bleeding for its independence and territorial integrity."
"Canada is a friend indeed. As a commander-in-chief, as a Ukrainian and as the father of a soldier, I thank Canada for each life that is being saved ... by the bullet-proof vests or helmets that you gave to us."
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, Ottawa

Canada has imposed sanctions against 66 Russian officials and 34 Russian banks, energy businesses, state companies and other groups responding to Russia's annexation of Crimea and Russia's support of separatists in eastern Ukraine. Some 54 Ukrainians have also been sanctioned who were involved in annexing Crimea or actively fomenting disequilibrium in Ukraine. Fighter jets, a naval warship and soldiers dispatched to Eastern and Central Europe, part of NATO's response to Russian aggression have also been part of Canada's response to Vladimir Putin's Ukraine adventure.

In his visit to Canada, President Poroshenko addressed the House of Commons, thanking Canada for supporting Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. He received a standing ovation from a packed House of Commons from enthusiastic Members of Parliament. With a historical presence in Canada, as settlers in the then-little-colonized Western provinces, as farmers, Ukrainians are an integral part of Canadian history and population with Canada now boasting about 1.2 million Canadians of Ukrainian descent.

Along with other Western and NATO allies, Canada has imposed sanctions against Russia while promising millions in aid and financial loans to the economically frail Ukraine, struggling with the threats from Moscow, and attempting to veer itself closer to the European Union. It has signed its first union agreement with the EU, with deeper integration to come in the near future. Canada has offered financial loans to Ukraine, and will dispatch hundreds of election monitors for parliamentary elections next month.


A Canada-Ukraine free trade agreement long in the works is set to be signed shortly, as yet another assist to the country's struggling economy. Aid has again been promised in emergency assistance from Canada to help an estimated 3.9-million affected by the conflict in Ukraine's east. A total of $50 million has so far been committed in foreign aid from Canada to Ukraine, along with an agreement to provide loans of $200 million for economic stabilization.

With all of these commitments, many Ukrainian-Canadians deeply committed to their country of their heritage remain disappointed that Canada has not offered more substantial military support. "Ukraine is thankful for the support, but we didn't get as much as we were hoping and our military is not strong", stated Olga Mozkova, a citizen of Ukraine who helped organize two busloads of supporters of Mr. Poroshenko, from Toronto.

Labels: Aggression, Canada, Economy, Russia, Secession, Security, Ukraine

posted by Pieface @ Friday, September 19, 2014