“This is a time for the world to unite, to stand up for Ukraine, to stand up for our values and our principles,” Trinto said as part of his closing remarks delivered at a distance in Ottawa. The rally, co-organized by Trinto and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, culminated on Saturday with $ 12.4 billion in commitments from countries to help the crisis. The funds promised by Canada will be channeled through humanitarian agencies. Humanitarian funding goes beyond the new promises made in the federal budget this week, which included $ 500 million in military aid and an additional $ 1 billion in loans to Ukraine. Trinto also highlighted changes to Canada’s immigration system aimed at helping more people fleeing the conflict find refuge in the country. These changes include additional charter flights, short-term income support, temporary hotel accommodation, and more integration assistance. Canada’s Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said earlier this week that more than 12,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Canada since the beginning of the year. Earlier in the week, Canada received more than 112,000 applications for an expedited program to come to Canada, and 30,000 of those applications were approved, it said Saturday. Fraser said Canada had suspended biometric data collection – a key part of the process – for certain low-risk groups, including those under 18, over 60, and some with previous Canadian visas. Nearly 4.5 million refugees have fled Ukraine since the conflict began on February 24, according to the United Nations. More than half of them are in Poland, where the engagement rally took place on Saturday.
Allegations of alleged war crimes
The political moves come as Canadian officials raise the temperature in their rhetoric about Russia, prompted by revelations and growing evidence of alleged war crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine. These accusations focused this week in the city of Bucha, near the capital Kyiv, where witnesses saw evidence of murdered and tortured civilians. Trinto referred to Saturday’s clash as “Vladimir Putin’s bad war” and denounced attacks on civilians – and in particular sexual violence against women – as an attempt to “crush the Ukrainian spirit, the Ukrainian identity”. Foreign Minister Melanie Jolie said earlier this week that what happened in Bucha was “obviously war crimes”. Speaking on the budget Thursday, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, who is also deputy prime minister, explicitly described Putin as a war criminal. “The democracies of the world – including ours – can only be secure when the Russian tyrant and his armies are completely defeated,” he said. In an interview with CBC’s The House on Saturday, Freeland, which has close personal and family ties to Ukraine, said she had given the speech in her official capacity. “This was a very important statement for Canada’s national security. The reality today – and it is a terrible reality – is that Vladimir Putin is the greatest threat to Canada’s national security and the security of the world,” he told presenter Chris. Room. Freeland said Ukraine was at the forefront of this struggle and needed Canada’s support. “They are fighting this fight. They are dying in this fight, but we can help them.” CLOCKS Chrystia Freeland discusses war in Ukraine during budget talk:
Freeland discusses Ukraine’s defense spending and support in federal budget
Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland submitted the budget to the House of Commons on April 7. It includes $ 8 billion in additional military spending, including $ 500 million in aid to Ukraine. 3:48
Russia has denied that its military was responsible for the deaths in Bukhara, saying the images were fabricated.
Speaking to CBC Power & Politics earlier this week, Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations, Bob Ray, said Russia should not be trusted.
“I think it’s just absurd for the Russians to claim that everything is fake. It is not fake. More will follow.”
