Mishall RehmanAbove image: Ukraine’s Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov and his Canadian counterpart Anita Anand review the honour guard during a ceremony in Kyiv, Ukraine, at the weekend. Image courtesy of Anita Anand Facebook.
Defence Minister Anita Anand concluded a two-day trip to Ukraine on January 31, reaffirming Canada’s strong commitment to Ukraine despite continued hostilities from Russia.
The visit is the first stop of three destinations on Anand’s first official foreign trip as Minister of National Defence.
“Canada’s support for Ukraine is unwavering. That is why I visited Ukraine to meet with Minister Oleksii Reznikov and with Canadian soldiers deployed on Operation UNIFIER. We must remain closely engaged with our allies and partners to strengthen our collaboration and coordinate our responses. Canada will continue to support Ukraine’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity,” said Anand in a statement.
Met Ukraine’s Minister of Defence
During her visit, Anand met with Ukraine’s Minister of Defence, Oleksii Reznikov. The two held their first in-person bilateral meeting.
During these meetings, Anand again had the opportunity to reaffirm Canada’s commitment to Ukraine and the importance of Ukraine’s security in a peaceful region.
During the meeting, the ministers discussed Canada’s recent announcement to expand Operation UNIFIER.
According to a Department of National Defence press release, “Minister Anand reiterated that Canada remains steadfast in its support of the Ukrainian people in the face of Russian aggression and intimidation, and is committed to finding peaceful ways to advance democracy and stability. Minister Reznikov expressed deep appreciation for Canada’s continued military and diplomatic efforts in support to Ukraine.”
Other Official Meetings
While in Kyiv, the minister also spoke with the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Oleksiy Danilov, and the Minister of Internal Affairs, Denys Monastyrsky.
During these meetings, Anand again had the opportunity to reaffirm Canada’s commitment to Ukraine and the importance of Ukraine’s security in a peaceful region.
Both of the visits demonstrated Canada’s continued support to not only Central and Eastern Europe but the continent as a whole.
She then had the opportunity to meet with Canadian Armed Forces members deployed on Operation UNIFIER.
“[She] personally thanked them for their significant contributions in support of the security forces of Ukraine. She emphasized the important role the CAF’s work plays in helping to enhance these forces as a whole,” according to a DND press release.
Next Stop
Next on Anand’s European tour was Brussels, where she met with the Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Jens Stoltenberg. She then travelled to Latvia, where she met with her counterparts and CAF personnel deployed on Operation REASSURANCE.
Both of the visits demonstrated Canada’s continued support to not only Central and Eastern Europe but the continent as a whole.
