Posted 2 years ago
Canadian officials continue to condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, providing Ukraine with additional anti-tank weapons systems and upgraded ammunition.
"Over the weekend, President Putin continued his brutal assault on Ukraine and Ukrainians have held strong," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday. "The whole world is inspired by the strength and intensity of their resistance and Canada will continue to deliver support for Ukraine’s heroic defence against the Russian military."
Trudeau added that the Canadian Armed Forces will also be providing airlift support for NATO efforts, and Canada has worked to fast-track immigration applications for Ukrainians who want to come to Canada.
This comes after Canada and allies announced their support to remove major Russian banks from the Swift payment system over the weekend. Canadian financial institutions have also been barred from any transactions with the Russian Central Bank.
"This will leave these banks effectively disconnected from the international financial system," the prime minister said. "The Russian government is now experiencing the severity of our coordinated sanctions. It is increasingly clear that President Putin has made a grave miscalculation."
"Today, the Ruble plunged to record lows and the Russian stock market was forced to close. People across Russia and around the world are taking to the streets demanding freedom for Ukraine. Our message is clear, this unnecessary war must stop now. The costs will only grow steeper and those responsible will be held accountable."
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister, Chrystia Freeland had a simple message for the Russian counterpart, "we warned you."
"Twelve days ago I urged the governor of the Russian Central Bank not to allow her government to launch an illegal and unprovoked war," Freeland said Monday.
"The West economic sanctions, I warned, would be swift, coordinated, sustained and crushing. They are and they will continue to be."
Trudeau also announced that the federal government will be asking the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to begin the review process for Russia Today's presence in Canada.
"There is a significant amount of disinformation circulating from Russia, including from social media, and we all need to keep calling it out," the prime minister said.
"Those who are witnessing the truth are seeing civilians being targeted, grandparents joining the fight, families with young children sheltering in subway stations and people fleeing to the border with only a suitcase. These images are heartbreaking and they lay bear the human cost of war."
Freeland stressed that Canada stands with Ukrainians and that Russia has "forfeited the right to take part in the global prosperity," which the world's democracies built.
"While brave Ukrainian civilians gamely learn how to make Molotov Cocktails to defend their homes, one of the world’s most brutal war machines is bombarding them," she said. "Not content to terrorize his own people, President Vladimir Putin is seeking to impose his tyranny on his democratic, freedom-loving neighbours."
"In launching this war, President Putin attacked the values and the international rules-based order, which are the foundations of all of the democracies of the world."
Topic: World News
Tags: Russia Ukraine Russian War Russian Sanctions