Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand announced new sanctions against Russia and financial support for Ukraine on Tuesday to mark the fourth anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“If we value democratic government, if we value the concept of territorial integrity, if we value state sovereignty, then we see Ukraine’s fight as part of a broader fight in defence of those principles,” said Anand.
In front of Ukrainian ambassador Andrii Plakhotniuk and students at the University of Ottawa, Anand announced the renewal of Operation Unifier, a military training mission initially launched in 2014, promising $2 billion for the program.
This adds up to a total of $25 billion of support from Canada to Ukraine over the last four years.
“Furthermore, Canada will be imposing sanctions on 21 individuals and 53 entities, as well as 100 vessels from Russia’s shadow fleet, under the Special Economic Measures (Russia) Regulations,” according to a press release from the Department of National Defence.
“Canada is also lowering its price cap for Russian crude oil from US$47.60 to US$44.10 per barrel.”
Continuing to stand by Ukraine is crucial, according to Anand, for asserting the rule of international law.
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“Putin cannot redraw maps at will. Geography is not a matter that dictators can decide,” Anand said.
Canada is not the only country marking the anniversary with a show of support for Ukraine.
More than a dozen senior European officials went to Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and pay tribute to fallen Ukrainian soldiers, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
Earlier today, Zelenskyy addressed the Ukrainian people in a video uploaded to YouTube, praising the strength and resilience of the Ukrainian armed forces.
“Our people did not raise a white flag — they defended the blue and yellow one. And the occupiers, who thought they would be met here with crowds waving flowers, saw lines at the recruitment centres instead,” Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy thanked the countries that have been supporting Ukraine, including Canada and the United States. Zelenskyy also said he hopes to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in Ukraine to show him the realities of the war.
On the fourth anniversary of a war that Russia declared would only take three days, Zelenskyy was not without hope.
“Putin has not achieved his goals,” Zelenskyy said.
“He has not broken Ukrainians. He has not won this war. We have preserved Ukraine, and we will do everything to secure peace and justice.”
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