MINISTER DION ADMONISHES RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, UNDERSCORES CANADA’S STRONG SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE
Ottawa – Today in the House of Commons in response to a question from Etobicoke Centre MP Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion admonished the Russian foreign affairs minister and underscored Canada’s strong and unwavering commitment to Ukraine and the Ukrainian Canadian community. In his forceful response, Foreign Affairs Minister Dion also shared with the House of Commons that he will be travelling to Ukraine in the next few days to visit with Ukrainian leaders in Kyiv to offer Canada’s support and thereby send a strong message to Russia and its leaders that Canada will continue to oppose Russia’s occupation of Ukrainian lands. MP Wrzesnewskyj will be accompanying Foreign Affairs Minister Dion on this official visit to Ukraine.
Mr. Borys Wrzesnewskyj (Etobicoke Centre, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, by militarily invading and annexing Crimea, and by continuously sending soldiers and lethal military equipment into the Donbas, the Kremlin has not only violated European borders, but has also broken international agreements on the sanctity of borders. Recently, the Prime minister made clear Canada’s position to Russia’s President.
Can the Foreign Affairs Minister share with this House the government’s position on Russia’s continued illegal occupation of Ukrainian territory?
Hon. Stéphane Dion (Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, the travelling I have been planning for a while to Ukraine will be four days from now. I am so pleased to go to Ukraine to express to the Government of Ukraine the steadfast support of Canada for Ukraine, how much we deeply disagree with the invasion and interference of the Russian government in Ukraine, and also how much we will not tolerate from a Russian minister any insults against the community of Ukraine in Canada. We owe so much to Ukrainian Canadians and we will always support them.
