People gathered in cities in Canada on Sunday on the eve of the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of UkraineIn the midst of fears of a withdrawal of American support.
Gatherings have taken place in town halls, museums and community centers across the country to mark a day of global action while the war in Ukraine enters its fourth year.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should be in Kyiv on MondayOne of the 13 foreign leaders who attend a summit on peace and security for Ukraine.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed Sunday evening at a press conference in kyiv that he will meet Trudeau in person. The Prime Minister’s office did not answer questions about the visit.
The summit comes in when the United States has met with Russia to try to negotiate a peace agreement – without Ukraine at the table.
In recent days, American president Donald Trump has accused Ukraine of having triggered war and seemed to try to swap with Ukraine to access his critical minerals in the context of any peace process.
Trudeau said it was crucial for Ukraine to be part of all peace talks. But rapid changes in American foreign policy were deprived of mind during a rally assisted by hundreds in Montreal on Sunday.
“Ukraine lived peacefully and has been invaded. Ukraine is the victim here, “said Michael Shwec, President of the Quebec Provincial Council of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress. “And to say that the author is in a way the victim or that the victim is to blame has absolutely no sense.”
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, in a major climbing of a conflict that started in 2014.
The invasion is the most important and deadliest conflict in Europe since the Second World War and has made hundreds of thousands of military victims and tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilian victims.
Since the invasion, thousands of Ukrainians have fled to Canada as a refugee. Artem Patyka, who came to Canada to escape the conflict in March 2023, said that he did not think that the war would last so long. “I didn’t expect at all,” he told Montreal. “I thought it would end faster.”
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Nearby, Vira Seletska and her daughter held a banner calling for peace and justice. They arrived in Canada a decade ago during the Russian annexation of Crimea.
“When we came here, my daughter was six years old. Now she is 16 years old, “said Seletska. “I could not imagine that the world community allowed him to be so long.”
Eugène Czolij, Ukraine Honorary Consul in Montreal, said Canada should continue to provide Ukraine military, economic and humanitarian aid.
“And he can also use diplomatic strength to convince Americans to do the right thing, to stand on the side of the victim and not the aggressor,” he said.
In Halifax, a few hundred people gathered in the city center in a parade square to mark the dark stage and honor those who were killed in the invasion of Russia.
Among those who spoke during the rally, there was Victoria Oleksienko, a Ukrainian woman who was under Russian occupation in the city of Ipin in February and March 2022.
Speaking in Ukrainian with an English translation, Oleksienko detailed the violence and the fear she and her family lived when they had fled their house.
“The bombings continued day and night,” she said. “It was terrifying. Terrifying to go out in the streets, but we had to bring water or bake food on a gas burner. It was cold. We all lost weight and fell ill. But the worst is desolation. »»
After Oleksienko and others spoke, there was a moment of silence in honor of those who died in the war.
“The Ukrainians die every night,” said Maryna Horobets, with the Nova Scotia section of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress.
“Unfortunately for the world, it’s a statistic now. But he is someone’s father, he is someone’s brother, he’s the son of someone, and it hurts that people forget that war happens every day ”, a- she said.
In Vancouver, hundreds began in the Plaza of the city art gallery, with the place filled with flags, banners and Ukrainian panels as well as people representing the Estonian and Lithuanian communities in support of the rally .
The crowd, with participants ranging from children and young people to adults and the elderly, has applauded strongly to any mention of Ukrainian strength and resilience while the mentions of Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin were hué.
Among the speakers, there was West Vancouver – Sunshine Coast – The deputy for Sky Country, Patrick Weiler, who did not mince words when he spoke of the United States and the Russian presidents.
“(Trump) wants to bring Vladimir Putin to have strong relations, in the international system, and he even wants to invite Russia to the G7 this year,” Weiler told the crowd. “Well, guess what?” Canada is the G7 host this year, and if Vladimir Putin walks on Canadian soil, it will be stopped immediately for the war crimes he committed. »»
Richmond, British Columbia, resident Michele Hall also attended the rally and said she was present because her grandmother’s family was from Ukraine.
Hall melted into tears when asked Trump to call Zelenskyy a dictator, adding that the uncertainty of the American position makes Canadians to be resolved.
“Well, it is obvious that we must defend what is good, and we will have to support Ukraine to a greater extent,” she said. “And I hope that the majority (Canadians) agree.”
Elsewhere, events were to take place in cities such as Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg and Calgary.