Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday announced another C$500 million (€364 million) in military assistance to Ukraine and added 23 more Russian officials to his ‘blacklist’.
On the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, Trudeau remarked that these 364 million euros in military, surveillance and communications equipment, fuel and supplies, seek to «help the Ukrainian Armed Forces defend their country against the brutal and unjustifiable Russian invasion.»
This new donation is in addition to the C$3.4 billion (just under $2.5 billion) Canada has already provided to Ukraine in defense so far this year. «We will continue our unwavering support for Ukraine as it defends its sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence,» Trudeau said, a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said.
Ottawa has also included 23 other Russian nationals, especially linked to security and justice sectors, including police, prosecutors, judges and prison officials «involved in serious and systematic human rights violations against Russian opposition leaders».
In this way, Canada increases its sanctions list to more than 1,400 Russian individuals and entities or those linked to the Russian government since the «illegal and unprovoked» invasion of Ukraine, launched at the end of February on the orders of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
«This additional military assistance will support Ukrainians as they continue to fight valiantly against Vladimir Putin’s illegal invasion, while these new sanctions will put additional pressure on those who support these acts of war,» Trudeau has said.
For her part, Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly stressed that Canada «will remain unwavering in its support for Ukraine in its fight for freedom.» Her Defense counterpart, Anita Anand, highlighted the Ukrainian progress made in recent weeks, thanks in part to the Canadian contribution.
