Statement by the Prime Minister on Europe Day
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May 9, 2022
Ottawa, Ontario
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Europe Day:
“Today, we join friends and allies around the world to mark Europe Day and celebrate the values of democracy, peace, and unity that have shaped modern-day Europe.
“As Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine continues, upholding these shared values has never been more important. Thousands of people have died, millions of others have been displaced, and the impacts of President Putin’s senseless war continue to be felt worldwide.
“In the face of ongoing Russian aggression, people in Europe and around the world are standing up in support of Ukraine. Through continued engagement with the European Union (EU) and other international partners, Canada has worked to hold the Russian regime accountable for its illegal war and support the Ukrainian people. EU Member States have also taken decisive action to respond to the humanitarian crisis, welcoming millions of people fleeing the conflict into their homes and communities.
“Last month, I co-convened the ‘Stand Up For Ukraine’ campaign pledging event with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, which helped raise over $12 billion for Ukrainian refugees and internally displaced people. Yesterday, I travelled to Ukraine to meet with President Zelenskyy and participate in the G7 Leaders’ meeting alongside him, reaffirming Canada’s unwavering support for the Ukrainian people. This ongoing close collaboration reflects our shared values of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law that lie at the heart of European and Canadian identities.
“Canada and the EU enjoy a strong partnership based on long-standing friendship and cooperation. Our belief in multilateralism, pluralism, openness, and diversity will continue to guide our work in defence of these values that bind us together. We will also continue to collaborate to enhance energy security and accelerate the transition toward clean energy, creating opportunities for people on both sides of the Atlantic – including through the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).
“On behalf of the Government of Canada, I invite all Canadians today to celebrate the strong ties that unite our country and the EU. Together, we will continue to stand up for the ideals of democracy, international security, and prosperity as we work to build a better and fairer future for everyone.”
Statement by the Prime Minister on National Nursing Week
May 9, 2022
Ottawa, Ontario
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on National Nursing Week, which runs from May 9 to 15:
“Today, as we mark the beginning of National Nursing Week, we recognize the courage, sacrifice, and commitment of nurses and the important role they play in supporting the health and well-being of people in Canada and around the world.
“This year’s theme – #WeAnswerTheCall – recognizes the tireless efforts of thousands of nurses who show up every day in Canada’s hospitals, long-term care homes, and public health settings to keep us and our loved ones safe. Over the past two years, they have worked long hours, risked their health, and faced physical and mental exhaustion on the front lines of the pandemic. Many have also worked behind the scenes in everything from contact tracing to supporting the development of public health policies and programs to help keep Canadians healthy. Every day, they continue to take care of our most vulnerable, administer vaccines and booster shots, and work hard to protect us and our communities.
“The Government of Canada continues to be there for nurses as they are there for us. Since the start of the pandemic, we have invested over $12.8 billion for the procurement of supplies, such as personal protective equipment and biomedical equipment, providing more than 1.8 billion units to protect health care workers and communities. In 2020, we provided provinces and territories with an additional $700 million through the Safe Restart Agreement to strengthen our health care system and help give health care workers the resources they need. We have also provided provinces and territories with $4.5 billion in Canada Health Transfer top-ups, and proposed another $2 billion top-up in March 2022. In addition, Budget 2022 proposes to increase Canada Student Loans forgiveness by 50 per cent for nurses working in underserved rural or remote areas.
“This is important work, but we know there is more to be done to ensure all health care workers have the support and resources they need to keep us safe. That is why earlier this year, the government announced a process to appoint a Chief Nursing Officer for Canada who will make sure that the voices and perspectives of nurses are heard and have an impact on our country’s health care policies and the future of care in our communities.
“As we mark the beginning of National Nursing Week, I invite all Canadians to join me in thanking our nurses. We are incredibly grateful for your hard work, sacrifices, and dedication, and as a country, we owe you so much.”
G7 Leaders’ Statement
May 8, 2022
Kyiv, Ukraine
Today, on 8 May, we, the Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7), alongside Ukraine and the wider global community, commemorate the end of the Second World War in Europe and the liberation from fascism and the National Socialist reign of terror, which caused immeasurable destruction, unspeakable horrors and human suffering. We mourn the millions of victims and offer our respect, especially to all those who paid the ultimate price to defeat the National Socialist regime, including the western Allies and the Soviet Union.
Seventy-seven years later, President Putin and his regime now chose to invade Ukraine in an unprovoked war of aggression against a sovereign country. His actions bring shame on Russia and the historic sacrifices of its people. Through its invasion of and actions in Ukraine since 2014, Russia has violated the international rules-based order, particularly the UN Charter, conceived after the Second World War to spare successive generations from the scourge of war.
Today, we were honoured to be joined by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. We assured him of our full solidarity and support for Ukraine’s courageous defence of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and its fight for a peaceful, prosperous and democratic future within its internationally recognised borders, with the liberties and freedoms that so many of us enjoy today.
President Zelenskyy underlined the strong resolve of Ukraine to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity. He stated that the Ukraine’s ultimate aim is to ensure full withdrawal of Russia’s military forces and equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine and to secure its ability to protect itself in the future and thanked G7 members for their support in this endeavour. In this regard, Ukraine emphasised that it relies on its international partners, in particular on G7 members, in providing necessary assistance in the domain of defense capabilities, as well as with a view to ensuring a swift and effective recovery of Ukraine’s economy and to securing its economic and energy security. Ukraine has entered into discussions with international partners on security mechanisms for a viable post-war peace settlement. Ukraine remains committed to working closely with G7 members to support Ukraine’s macroeconmic stability in the face of the challenges posed by the full-scaled Russian invasion, massive destruction of critical infrastructure and disruption of traditional shipping routes for Ukrainian exports. President Zelenskyy noted his country’s commitment to uphold our common democratic values and principles, including respect for human rights and the rule of law.
Today, we, the G7, reassured President Zelenskyy of our continued readiness to undertake further commitments to help Ukraine secure its free and democratic future, such that Ukraine can defend itself now and deter future acts of aggression. To this end, we will pursue our ongoing military and defence assistance to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, continue supporting Ukraine in defending its networks against cyber incidents, and expand our cooperation, including on information security. We will continue to support Ukraine in increasing its economic and energy security.
Together with the international community, we, the G7, have provided and pledged additional support since the start of the war exceeding USD 24 billion for 2022 and beyond, in both financial and material means. In the coming weeks, we will step up our collective short-term financial support to help Ukraine close financing gaps and deliver basic services to its people, while also developing options – working with the Ukrainian authorities and international financial institutions – to support long-term recovery and reconstruction. In this regard, we welcome the establishment of the International Monetary Fund’s Multi-Donor Administered Account for Ukraine and the European Union announcement to develop a Ukraine Solidarity Trust Fund. We support the World Bank Group’s support package to Ukraine and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s Resilience Package.
We call on all partners to join our support for the Ukrainian people and for refugees, and to help Ukraine to rebuild its future.
We reiterate our condemnation of Russia’s unprovoked, unjustifiable and illegal military aggression against Ukraine and the indiscriminate attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, which has resulted in terrible humanitarian catastrophe in the heart of Europe. We are appalled by the large-scale loss of human life, assault on human rights, and destruction that Russia’s actions have inflicted on Ukraine.
Under no circumstances can civilians and those not taking an active part in the hostilities be legitimate targets. We will spare no effort to hold President Putin and the architects and accomplices of this aggression, including the Lukashenko regime in Belarus, accountable for their actions in accordance with international law. To this end, we will continue to work together, along with our allies and partners around the world. We reaffirm our support for all efforts to ensure full accountability. We welcome and support the ongoing work to investigate and gather evidence on this, including by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, the independent investigation commission mandated by the United Nations Human Rights Council and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s mission of experts.
We further condemn Russia’s attempts to replace democratically elected Ukrainian local authorities with illegitimate ones. We will not recognise these acts in violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
We will continue to counter the Russian strategy of disinformation, which deliberately manipulates the global – including the Russian – public in the hope of shrouding the Russian regime’s culpability for this war.
Our unprecedented package of coordinated sanctions has already significantly hindered Russia’s war of aggression by limiting access to financial channels and ability to pursue their objectives. These restrictive measures are already having significant impact on all Russian economic sectors – financial, trade, defence, technology, and energy – and will intensify pressure on Russia over time. We will continue to impose severe and immediate economic costs on President Putin’s regime for this unjustifiable war. We collectively commit to taking the following measures, consistent with our respective legal authorities and processes:First, we commit to phase out our dependency on Russian energy, including by phasing out or banning the import of Russian oil. We will ensure that we do so in a timely and orderly fashion, and in ways that provide time for the world to secure alternative supplies. As we do so, we will work together and with our partners to ensure stable and sustainable global energy supplies and affordable prices for consumers, including by accelerating reduction of our overall reliance on fossil fuels and our transition to clean energy in accordance with our climate objectives.Second, we will take measures to prohibit or otherwise prevent the provision of key services on which Russia depends. This will reinforce Russia’s isolation across all sectors of its economy.Third, we will continue to take action against Russian banks connected to the global economy and systemically critical to the Russian financial system. We have already severely impaired Russia’s ability to finance its war of aggression by targeting its Central Bank and its largest financial institutions.Fourth, we will continue our efforts to fight off the Russian regime’s attempts to spread its propaganda. Respectable private companies should not provide revenue to the Russian regime or to its affiliates feeding the Russian war machine.Fifth, we will continue and elevate our campaign against the financial elites and family members, who support President Putin in his war effort and squander the resources of the Russian people. Consistent with our national authorities, we will impose sanctions on additional individuals.
We continue to work with our international partners and invite them to stand with us and to follow suit with similar actions, including to prevent sanctions evasion, circumvention and backfilling.
President Putin’s war is causing global economic disruptions, impacting the security of global energy supply, fertiliser and food provision, and the functioning of global supply chains in general. The most vulnerable countries are affected most severely. Together with partners globally, we are stepping up our efforts to counter these adverse and harmful impacts of this war.
President Putin’s war against Ukraine is placing global food security under severe strain. Together with the United Nations, we call on Russia to end its blockade and all other activities that further impede Ukrainian food production and exports, in line with its international commitments. Failure to do so will be seen as an attack on feeding the world. We will step up efforts to help Ukraine to keep producing in view of the next harvest season and exporting, including by alternative routes.
In support to the United Nations Global Crisis Response Group, we will address the causes and consequences of the global food crisis through a Global Alliance for Food Security, as our joint initiative to ensure momentum and coordination, and other efforts. We will closely cooperate with international partners and organisations beyond the G7, and, with the aim of transforming political commitments into concrete actions as planned by various international initiatives such as the Food and Agriculture Resilience Mission (FARM) and key regional outreach initatives, including towards African and Mediterranean countries. We reiterate that our sanctions packages are carefully targeted so as not to impede the delivery of humanitarian assistance or the trade of agricultural products and reaffirm our commitment to avoid food export restrictions which impact the most vulnerable.
The G7 and Ukraine stand united in this difficult time and in their quest to ensure Ukraine’s democratic, prosperous future. We remain united in our resolve that President Putin must not win his war against Ukraine. We owe it to the memory of all those who fought for freedom in the Second World War, to continue fighting for it today, for the people of Ukraine, Europe and the global community.
May 7, 2022
Ottawa, Ontario
Yesterday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with the President of the United States of America, Joe Biden, to discuss the current situation in Ukraine, and further steps Canada and the U.S. can take to support the government and people of Ukraine.
The Prime Minister and President commended the Ukrainian people for their unwavering courage in the face of Russian aggression. They reiterated their strong support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his government, and committed to ongoing economic, security, and humanitarian support for Ukraine.
The leaders expressed concern for the broader global impacts of the war, including its effects on energy and food security. They also shared their concern for the large and growing number of internally displaced persons and refugees, and agreed to redouble efforts to support vulnerable populations.
The Prime Minister and President looked forward to discussing these and other pressing issues related to the conflict with G7 partners and President Zelenskyy this Sunday, May 8.
Prime Minister Trudeau and President Biden looked forward to meeting in person soon.
Associated Links
- Canada-United States relations
- Canada’s response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Canada’s engagement in Ukraine
- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau participates in teleconference meeting with President of the United States of America Joe Biden, Prime Minister of Japan Kishida Fumio, and European leaders on the war in Ukraine
- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy
May 6, 2022
Ottawa, Ontario
Yesterday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with the President-elect of South Korea, Yoon Suk-yeol, and congratulated him on his recent election victory.
The two leaders discussed opportunities to deepen the strategic partnership between Canada and South Korea, including joint efforts to promote peace, security, democracy, and the rule of law in the Indo-Pacific region. They also noted the strong trade and economic ties between our two countries, which are underpinned by the Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement. The leaders agreed to deepen cooperation on shared priorities such as energy, emerging technologies, and climate change.
The Prime Minister and President-elect exchanged views on Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine. They agreed on the need for close international coordination to deter further Russian aggression, provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine, and address the crisis’ devastating impacts on food and energy security around the world.
The two leaders discussed their concerns about North Korea’s recent ballistic missile launches, which violate successive United Nations Security Council resolutions and are a direct threat to international peace and security. Prime Minister Trudeau reiterated Canada’s continued commitment to supporting international efforts to restrain North Korea’s dangerous actions and reinforce stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
The two leaders discussed the strong contributions that Canadians of Korean ancestry have made and continue to make to Canada. They looked forward to marking the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Canada and South Korea next year.
The two leaders agreed to stay in close touch and to work together to advance shared priorities. Prime Minister Trudeau looked forward to meeting President-elect Yoon in person later this year at the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia.
Associated Links
May 8, 2022
Kyiv, Ukraine
Today, Canada sends a resounding message to the world that we continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine and its people.
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today visited Kyiv, Ukraine, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Deputy Prime Minister, Chrystia Freeland, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly, accompanied the Prime Minister.
Earlier today, the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Foreign Affairs participated in a flag raising ceremony to mark the re-opening of the Canadian Embassy in Ukraine. Ambassador Larisa Galadza, together with a team of additional staff members, will resume diplomatic operations in Kyiv, Ukraine as part of a gradual restoring of Canada’s full diplomatic presence and services. Until further notice, consular and immigration services will continue to be provided in Poland and many other European cities in the region.
Prime Minister Trudeau also visited Irpin, where he witnessed firsthand the reckless brutality of Vladimir Putin’s illegal war. Russian forces have terrorized and killed civilians and destroyed homes and neighbourhoods. Canada is leading efforts to ensure they are held accountable for war crimes and other egregious violations of human rights. At the same time, the Prime Minister also witnessed the strength and resilience of Ukrainians, and despite efforts by Russia, Kyiv still stands strong and proud today.
In a bilateral meeting, the Prime Minister and President Zelenskyy discussed the historic partnership between their two countries, the situation in Ukraine, and the need for additional international support – including humanitarian, financial, and military assistance. The two leaders also discussed global efforts to impose severe and lasting sanctions on Russia in response to President Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Prime Minister Trudeau reiterated Canada’s unwavering support for Ukraine and ongoing commitment to help in any way possible.
Today, the Prime Minister announced additional measures and investments to continue supporting Ukraine, including:
- Providing an additional $50 million in military assistance, which builds on recent contributions of artillery, ammunition, and civilian-pattern light armoured vehicles:
- 18 drone cameras, including in-service support and repair,
- $15 million of high-resolution satellite imagery,
- Up to $1 million in small arms and related ammunition, and
- Additional ammunition for M777 howitzers;
- Allocating $25 million, from Canada’s $100 million contribution for humanitarian aid in the region, to the World Food Programme to address food security in Ukraine; and
- Contributing $10 million in funding to support human rights, civil society, and demining in Ukraine, in particular:
- $1.5 million to the United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund;
- $2.5 million to the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to monitor, document and assess human rights violations;
- $775,000 to Front Line Defenders to support human rights activists and organizations;
- Up to $2 million to German Marshal Fund of the United States to support civil society actors at risk;
- Up to $1.15 million in digital emergency support for civil society in Ukraine; and
- $2 million to HALO Trust for mine action emergency response.
The Prime Minister also announced his intention to temporarily remove trade tariffs on Ukrainian imports for a period of one year and that Canada will be imposing new sanctions under the Special Economic Measures (Russia) Regulations. These new actions, which build on the measures previously announced on April 27, 2022, include:
- Imposing sanctions on 21 additional Russian individuals, including oligarchs and close associates of the Russian regime; and
- Sanctioning 19 individuals in the Russian defence sector and five entities for providing indirect or direct support to the Russian military.
The investments and measures announced today build on what Canada has already committed this year. Since February 2022, Canada has provided $245 million in humanitarian assistance and over $131 million for defensive military equipment. On top of that, Budget 2022 proposes to provide $1 billion in loans through the IMF Administered Account for Ukraine from Canada. This is on top of $620 million in bilateral loans already committed to Ukraine, of which $500 million has already been disbursed. Budget 2022 also proposes $500 million in additional military aid. Today’s sanctions also build on those that have already been imposed on more than 1,000 individuals and entities from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus since February 24, 2022.
During his visit, Prime Minister Trudeau and President Zelenskyy participated in a G7 Leaders’ meeting. Together with leaders from the G7, the Prime Minister and President commemorated the end of the Second World War in Europe. The leaders condemned President Putin’s unprovoked, unjustifiable and illegal war, and Russia’s horrendous attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure. The G7 reiterated its steadfast military, financial, and diplomatic support for Ukraine and committed to phasing out reliance on Russian energy, imposing additional sanctions, combatting Russian propaganda, and addressing the international challenges caused by President Putin’s war – particularly global food security.
Canada will continue to support Ukraine and Ukrainians as they fight authoritarianism and as they defend their freedoms, their democracy, and their way of life.
Quotes
“As Russia continues its ongoing illegal and unjustifiable war against Ukraine, Canada will continue to be there to support Ukraine and its people. I would like to thank President Zelenskyy for hosting this visit, but also more importantly, for his leadership. Together with Ukrainians, President Zelenskyy is defending the values at the very heart of democracies. His courage and the courage of Ukrainians is inspiring, and we will continue to do everything we can to make sure Ukraine gets the support it needs.”
“Canada and our allies are united in our condemnation of Vladimir Putin and his war of aggression, and we are united in our support for the remarkable people of Ukraine who are so bravely resisting his assault. We know that in standing up for themselves, the people of Ukraine are standing up for democracy and international law—and we stand with them. Today’s visit is a key opportunity for Canada to further underscore that unwavering support.”
“When the Russian regime invaded Ukraine they had gravely underestimated the response of the allies and our commitment towards the people of Ukraine, who continue to fight with courage for their country. Canada will always be a friend to Ukraine and we are here in Kyiv to show our unwavering support. From mapping mines to making sure Russian forces are held accountable for their crimes, Canada is doing its part to support Ukraine.”
Quick Facts
- Since the beginning of 2022, Canada has committed $245 million in humanitarian assistance to respond to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and neighbouring countries. Of this, $145 million has been allocated to United Nations organizations, the Red Cross Movement and to non-governmental organizations.
- Canada has also provided over 345,000 essential relief items such as blankets, mattresses, etc. from Canada’s National Emergency Strategic Stockpile to help respond to humanitarian needs in Ukraine and the region. These items were specifically requested by our partners and are being dispatched to Ukraine and neighbouring countries.
- In partnership with the Canadian Red Cross, 31,000 relief items from existing stockpiles have been deployed to Ukraine, including tarps, kitchen sets, hygiene parcels, and blankets.
- On April 9, 2022, Prime Minister Trudeau co-convened the Stand Up for Ukraine pledging event with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, which raised $12.4 billion for people fleeing the Russian invasion, inside Ukraine and abroad.
- In Budget 2022, Canada also allocated $500 million in additional military aid for Ukraine for the fiscal year 2022-23.
- Since 2015, Canada has committed approximately $154 million for defensive military equipment for Ukraine, with over $131 million of that committed since February 2022.
- Since Russia’s illegal occupation and attempted annexation of Crimea in 2014, Canada has imposed sanctions on more than 1,400 individuals and entities. Many of these sanctions have been undertaken in coordination with Canada’s allies and partners. Canada’s latest sanctions impose asset freezes and prohibitions on listed individuals and entities.
- Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Canada has imposed sanctions on over 1,000 individuals and entities from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.
- In March 2022, Canada referred the situation in Ukraine to the International Criminal Court (ICC), in concert with other ICC member states, in light of the numerous allegations of serious international crimes committed by Russian forces in Ukraine, including war crimes and crimes against humanity.
