OTTAWA: Condemning Russia’s military operation in eastern Ukraine, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday called on Moscow to withdraw all military from the country.
“Canada condemns – in the strongest possible terms – Russia’s egregious attack on Ukraine. These unprovoked actions are a clear further violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and of Russia’s obligations under international law and the Charter of the UN,” Trudeau tweeted.
“Canada calls on Russia to immediately cease all hostile and provocative actions against Ukraine, and withdraw all military and proxy forces from the country. Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected,” he said in a subsequent tweet.
After Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special “military operation” in the Donbas region, the Ukrainian ambassador to the United Nations requested the members of the UN to “stop the war.”
At an emergency meeting of the Security Council, Ukrainian envoy Sergiy Kyslytsya said, “It is the responsibility of this body to stop the war. So I call on every one of you to do everything possible to stop the war.” Kyslytsya added it was “too late” for de-escalation and urged other countries to help stop the conflict.
Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Thursday said Putin has launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and added that Ukrainian cities are under strikes.
“Putin has just launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Peaceful Ukrainian cities are under strikes. This is a war of aggression. Ukraine will defend itself and will win. The world can and must stop Putin. The time to act is now,” Kuleba tweeted.
Defending Russia’s decision to take military action in the Donbas region, the Russian envoy to the UN Vasily Alekseevich Nebenzya said “the root of today’s crisis around Ukraine is the actions of Ukraine itself.” Nebenzya said that the Russian operation is aimed to protect residents in eastern Ukraine. (ANI)
