Slava Ukraini. We stand with Ukraine.

Just over 2 years ago, Russia invaded Ukraine, a sovereign nation with close ties to Canada. We have the largest number of people of Ukrainian descent outside of Ukraine and Russia. The Canadian Prairies have been home to Ukrainian descendants for over a century, and now we have welcomed over 230,000 Ukrainians fleeing for their lives from Putin’s War, not knowing when or if they will ever get home. 

The Ukrainian people and soldiers continue to inspire and defy the odds as they bravely fight the Russian offensive and occupation of their nation. These heroes are not simply fighting a war for themselves, they are the vanguard for the nations of Europe and all the world’s democracies. History has shown that we ignore this aggression at our peril.

Ukraine’s military has suffered over 30,000 casualties and according to the UN, more than 10,000 civilians have been killed in the two years of conflict, and more than 20,000 have been injured. What happens in Europe is felt in Canada. We see the effects of a war in Ukraine echoed in our economy, our supply chain limitations, the price of goods and commodities – to say nothing of the 1.4 million Ukrainian Canadians watching their ancestral homeland invaded by a regime that does not respect human life. 

President Vladimir Putin’s aggression and dismissal of the Ukrainian people is also a threat to Canadian and international safety and paves the way for other rogue leaders to follow suit. 

We stand with Ukraine. Slava Ukraini.