Ottawa, Ontario
17 September 2014
Prime Minister Stephen Harper today welcomed the visit by Petro Poroshenko, President of Ukraine, to Canada.
The two leaders discussed the steps required to restore territorial integrity in Ukraine and to ensure the country’s sovereignty in light of the Putin regime’s illegal occupation of the Crimean Peninsula and its military aggression in Eastern Ukraine. They also took the opportunity to discuss the peace plan announced between Ukraine, Russia and pro–Russian separatists on September 5, 2014. The leaders also discussed progress on the Canada–Ukraine free trade negotiations and directed officials to accelerate their work.
In an address to Canada’s Parliament, President Poroshenko praised the unwavering support that Canada has provided to Ukraine at this time of conflict and uncertainty in his country.
During the President’s visit, Prime Minister Harper announced the following two measures that will promote economic and social development in Ukraine:
- Canada and Ukraine have reached an agreement on the provision of Canada’s loan to Ukraine to promote economic and financial sector reforms in the country; and,
- Additional humanitarian assistance is being provided to Ukraine to assist various international partners in providing medical support, food, safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene, shelter, emergency child protection, and emergency response and preparedness to help the estimated 3.9 million people living in areas affected by violence, as well as the nearly 200,000 individuals registered as internally displaced throughout Ukraine.
