By Caribbean News Global 
KYIV, Ukraine – Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, visited Kyiv today to reaffirm Canada’s unwavering support for Ukraine.
Three years ago today, Russia launched an illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine that has left hundreds of thousands dead and forced millions to flee. In the face of unimaginable hardship, Ukrainians have persevered and have fought for freedom and democracy. Canada has supported and will continue to support Ukraine in achieving just and lasting peace.
During this visit, the prime minister highlighted the recent conclusion of negotiations between Canada and Ukraine on the terms of Canada’s $5 billion contribution to the G7 Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) Loans mechanism. Canada will disburse the first half of its contribution, totalling $2.5 billion, in the coming days, with the remainder to follow soon. Announced last year at the G7 Summit in Apulia, Italy, the ERA Loans will bring forward the future revenues from frozen Russian sovereign assets. This initiative will provide Ukraine with approximately $69 billion (US$50 billion).
To maintain pressure on Russia, prime minister Trudeau announced new sanctions targeting 76 individuals and entities providing support for the Kremlin’s military-industrial base, involved in the unlawful deportation or forced transfer of Ukrainian children, or supporting the Kremlin’s information operations capabilities, as well as senior Russian government officials and oligarchs who support Putin’s regime.
In total, Canada has sanctioned more than 3,000 individuals and entities who are complicit in the violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and in gross and systematic human rights violations. The prime minister also announced that Canada is taking action against Russia’s shadow fleet by sanctioning 109 vessels based on their involvement in the transfer of sanctioned goods, including hydrocarbons whose revenue fuels Russia’s war machine.
In response to Russia’s renewed attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, which have left millions of civilians deprived of electricity, water, and heat, the prime minister also announced a $50 million contribution to help support Ukraine’s urgent efforts to repair and replace damaged energy equipment and critical infrastructure, in partnership with the Energy Community Secretariat. This builds on the $20 million in funding Canada announced last year in support of this initiative at the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, in Lucerne, Switzerland.
During a bilateral meeting with the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, prime minister Trudeau noted progress on Canada’s assistance commitments, including the delivery of military training and critical equipment, such as armoured combat vehicles and infantry fighting vehicles, ammunition, and F-16 landing systems and simulators.
Building on the $3.02 billion announced in the Agreement on Security Cooperation between Canada and Ukraine last year, the prime minister announced that $40 million of the total $3.02 billion in funding will be allocated to deliver urgently needed capabilities to the Armed Forces of Ukraine through the Danish Model and another $15 million toward supporting Canadian companies seeking to operate and invest in Ukraine’s defence sector.
The prime minister announced new assistance measures for Ukraine totalling $118.5 million, including:
- $92.3 million in development assistance to strengthen local community building, support small-scale livelihood recovery projects that address community needs, reduce poverty and break down barriers to women’s full participation, address food security issues, and support the return of deported children and missing persons by improving the resilience of Ukraine’s government, communities, civil society, and private sector.
- $14 million in humanitarian assistance, including for the provision of food, shelter, water, sanitation, hygiene services, and mental health and psycho-social support to those in need.
- $8 million for weapons threat reduction to provide critical personal protective equipment to Ukrainians facing chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats, and to strengthen nuclear security in the country.
- $4.25 million to support peace and stabilization operations, including assisting regional women’s rights organizations and ensuring representatives from civil society and media can work safely.
- $82,000 for local initiatives that will support the physical and mental health of former Ukrainian prisoners of war.
In total, Canada has committed over $19.7 billion in multifaceted assistance for Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
In Kyiv, prime minister Trudeau joined president Zelenskyy and international partners to discuss the situation on the ground as well as Ukraine’s needs for military, financial, humanitarian, recovery, and other assistance. During a plenary session on the theme of “Defence and Security Strategy of Unity: Action Plan”, he delivered remarks commending the Ukrainian people for their bravery and resilience in the face of unjustified and brutal violence. He reaffirmed Canada’s position as an unshakeable ally who will continue to work with partners around the world to provide Ukraine with security and defence support – allowing it to recover, rebuild, and prosper.
The prime minister also convened his G7 counterparts and pesident Zelenskyy for a hybrid meeting to further discuss support for Ukraine. He underlined the importance of G7 unity in supporting a just and lasting peace in Ukraine as well as Ukraine’s reconstruction and economic recovery, noting that these would be priorities for Canada throughout our G7 Presidency this year.
Prime minister Trudeau also attended a candle-lighting ceremony where he paid tribute to all those whose lives have been lost since the start of Russia’s aggression.
Throughout his visit, he reiterated that Canada will always stand with Ukrainians as they continue to fight for freedom, justice, and democracy. We will defend a future for Ukraine that’s written by Ukrainians. We will defend a Ukraine that is strong and free. And we will be with Ukraine in this fight until a just and lasting peace is reached.
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