On April 11th, 2023 Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal visited Toronto, Canada and met with Export Development Canada, Leaders of Ukrainian Community Organizations in Canada and Canadian Business Community.
CUCC President Zenon Potichny had the honor of attending a working lunch hosted by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal’s visit. During this meeting Canadian business leaders discussed opportunities for Canadian trade and investment in Ukraine, particularly the essential role that private sector investment will play in Ukraine’s long-term reconstruction. The attendees of the meeting included Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly, Minister of Defence Anita Anand, Ambassador of Ukraine to Canada Yuliya Kovaliv, Ambassador of Canada to Ukraine Larisa Galadza, CEO of Export Development Canada Mairead Lavery and President & CEO of Business Council of Canada Goldy Hyder.
During the visit, Prime Minister Trudeau announced that Canada will provide additional military aid to Ukraine sourced from Colt Canada.
Prime Minister Trudeau also announced Canada has disbursed a $2.4 billion loan to the Government of Ukraine to support essential services, such as pension payments, purchasing fuel, and restoring damaged energy infrastructure. This funding, announced in Budget 2023, brings Canada’s total commitment to Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion to over $8 billion.
To strengthen our trade ties and help support Ukraine’s economic recovery, Prime Minister Trudeau and Prime Minister Shmyhal signed a joint declaration on the conclusion of negotiations for the modernization of the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA), and underscored the need to complete the processes to implement it as quickly as possible. A modernized CUFTA supports long-term security, stability, and economic development in Ukraine, as well as the creation of good middle-class jobs here in Canada.
Canada and Ukraine signed a bilateral Youth Mobility Agreement, which young people from both countries will benefit from when travel to Ukraine becomes safe. The Agreement further deepens the strong bonds between our peoples and our two countries. It will open up new opportunities for youth to work and travel, including opportunities for Canadian youth to help rebuild Ukraine once Russia withdraws its forces from the country.
To maintain the pressure on the Russian regime, Prime Minister Trudeau announced new sanctions targeting 14 Russian individuals and 34 entities complicit in Russia’s war in Ukraine, including several security targets linked to the Wagner Group and Russia’s aviation sector. In addition, to further pressure Putin’s enablers in Belarus, the Prime Minister announced additional sanctions on nine entities related to the Belarusian financial sector.
During Prime Minister Shmyhal’s time in Canada, Saskatoon-based Cameco and Ukraine’s state-owned Energoatom signed a major supply contract in which Cameco will provide the necessary uranium to meet Ukraine’s nuclear fuel needs until 2035. This supply contract, which builds on the partnership agreement signed earlier this year, will help Ukraine keep the lights on, while creating and supporting good, middle-class jobs here in Canada.
Prime Minister Trudeau reiterated to Prime Minister Shmyhal that Canada will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.
