The Government of Canada is committed to strengthening Canada’s place in the world and will continue to pursue Canadian interests and values at every opportunity.
Today, the Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, announced that he will travel to Warsaw, Poland, to attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Heads of State and Government Summit from July 8 to 9, 2016. After the Summit, the Prime Minister will travel to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp to remember the six million Jews and the millions of other victims who were brutally murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust. The trip will conclude with an official visit to Ukraine from July 11 to 12.
During the NATO Summit, the Prime Minister will sit down with our closest Allies and partners to discuss important security challenges, including ways to strengthen NATO’s ability to defend its territory and population, and to project stability beyond NATO borders.
While in Ukraine, the Prime Minister will reiterate the Government of Canada’s longstanding – and ongoing – commitment to the Ukrainian people, and its strong support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He will also voice encouragement for Ukraine’s reform efforts, and will work to deepen commercial ties between the two countries, all in an effort to create jobs, strengthen the middle class, and grow the Canadian economy.
Quotes
“Canada remains firmly committed to working closely with NATO Allies and partners to ensure our citizens can continue to live in safety and security.”
– Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada
“Canada and Ukraine enjoy a historic friendship forged through generations of shared values and strong relations. By working together in close partnership, Canada will help bring greater security, prosperity, and economic independence to the Ukrainian people.”
– Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada
Quick Facts
- Canada, along with 11 other nations, founded NATO in 1949 on the principles of democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law. Over the past 67 years, NATO has proven itself to be a major contributor to international peace and security.
- Between 1940 and 1945, more than one million people — mainly Jews — were exterminated at the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, which has become an enduring symbol of the Holocaust.
- Canada and Ukraine share a special relationship, with close to 1.3 million Canadians tracing their roots to the country.
- Since the beginning of the crisis in Ukraine in November 2013, Canada has provided multi-faceted support to Ukraine, including low-interest loans for economic stabilization, as well as development assistance projects to promote sustainable economic growth and to advance democracy, human rights, the rule of law and support to civil society, humanitarian assistance to help people affected by the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine, and assistance to strengthen Ukraine’s security sector.
Canada is cooperating with the Ukrainian Armed Forces to support Ukraine in its efforts to maintain sovereignty, security, and stability. There are approximately 200 Canadian Armed Forces personnel deployed to Ukraine to deliver training and capacity building programs until March, 2017.
