April 11, 2023. Toronto, ON. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) was very pleased to meet with the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal in Toronto along with a community leadership delegation. The Prime Minister of Ukraine spoke about the urgent priorities for Ukraine including launching a spring offensive operation against Russian occupying forces and rebuilding of essential services.
The UCC was also pleased to see additional announcements made by the Prime Minister of Canada, the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, to support Ukraine. Support including the signing of agreements on trade and youth mobility, new sanctions and military assistance. For details see below or here.
“We welcome today’s announcements by Canada along with the continued commitment to stand with Ukraine as long as it takes” said Alexandra Chyczij, National President of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress. “With the support of Canada and our allies Ukraine can win the war decisively in the near future, saving countless lives and beginning the long rebuilding process.”
UCC Community Leadership Delegation:
- Taras Bahriy, President UCC Ontario Provincial Council
- Slawko Borys, Chair Ukrainian Credit Union Ltd
- Orysia Boychuk, President UCC Alberta Provincial Council
- Alexandra Chyczij, UCC National President
- Paul Grod, President Ukrainian World Congress
- Victor Hetmanczuk, Canada Ukraine Foundation
- Jurij Klufas, President Ukrainian National Federation
- Dmytro Malyk, Vice President UCC Manitoba Provincial Council
- Roman Medyk, Chair of BCU Foundation
- Ihor Michalchyshyn, UCC National CEO
- Petro Schturyn, President UCC Toronto
- Ann Szyptur, Vice President UCC National
- Krystina Waler, Temerty Family Foundation
- Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Former MP
April 11 Announcement Details:
- A joint declaration on the conclusion of negotiations for the modernization of the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA), and underscored the need to complete the processes to implement it as quickly as possible.
- A bilateral Youth Mobility Agreement, which young people from both countries will benefit from when travel to Ukraine becomes safe. The Agreement further deepens the strong bonds between our peoples and our two countries.
- New sanctions targeting 14 Russian individuals and 34 entities complicit in Russia’s war in Ukraine, including several security targets linked to the Wagner Group and Russia’s aviation sector.
- New military assistance package includes 21,000 5.56mm assault rifles, 38 7.62mm machine guns, and over 2.4 million rounds of ammunition to support these weapons as well as small arms already in use by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This donation comes from the remaining funds across the Government of Canada’s various funding envelopes for military assistance to Ukraine.
Click here for more information on the announcement.
