Ultimately, the greatest successes are because of the strength of the people of Ukraine, both in Ukraine and in the diaspora. Ukraine’s strength is the greatest demonstration to Russia that their threats and actions are unwarranted. Canada will continue to stand by Ukraine, today, tomorrow and long into the future.
By Harjit Sajjan, Canada Minister of Defense in the Ukrainian Weekly: As Canada’s minister of national defense, I am proud that the past year has seen increased coordination and cooperation between the Canadian and Ukrainian governments. Having just returned from my second trip to Ukraine, I am pleased to share with Canadians the way our governments are continuing to work together. In March, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland and I announced the extension of Operation UNIFIER, ensuring Canadian soldiers will continue to train members of the Ukrainian armed forces. As of September 1, the Canadian Armed Forces’ Joint Task Force-Ukraine has trained more than 5,580 Ukrainian soldiers in over 140 courses. The opportunities for learning on both sides are paying off, as soldiers from each country benefit from the knowledge and experiences of the other. In April, Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak visited Canada to sign the Canada-Ukraine Defense Cooperation Agreement, putting pen to paper demonstrating Canada’s strong support for Ukraine and providing a framework for future military cooperation. This milestone allows our government to move quickly forward at adding Ukraine to the Automatic Firearms Country Control List. The Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement took effect on August 1, and will create jobs and opportunities in both our countries. […] http://www.ukrweekly.com/uwwp/update- ... ainian-defense-relations/
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