Ottawa, ON — The Hon. Pierre Poilievre, Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada and the Official Opposition, released the following statement on the Anniversary of Putin’s Illegal Invasion of Ukraine:
“Three years ago, our world changed forever. In the early hours of the morning, as Ukrainian families slept peacefully in their homes, Kremlin forces began a horrific full-scale attack on their nation.
“The months and years that followed have seen countless thousands of Ukrainians killed and injured – not only on the front lines but in once-safe cities like Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Kharkiv and Mariupol. Yet more innocent civilians have been forced to leave their communities or have found themselves under a brutal occupation.
“It is often noted that Moscow’s war against Ukraine began not in 2022, but nearly eight years prior. At that time, the Conservative government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper took a clear and principled stand. While many other countries dithered, Canada sent troops to Ukraine under Operation UNIFIER and played a leading role in removing the Russian Federation from the G8. What was right in 2014 remains right today, Vladmir Putin should not be allowed back into this forum.
“Just hours after the full-scale war began, I told a rally of Ottawa’s Ukrainian community that ‘Canadians stand in total solidarity with you, and we will be by your side throughout’. Three years later, our dedication has not wavered. Canada’s Common Sense Conservatives remain committed to getting Ukraine the weapons they need – and to promoting Canadian oil and gas as an alternative to Putin’s energy blackmail. And I want to be completely clear – Conservatives believe that no process for peace negotiations should happen without Ukraine being part of these discussions. Ukrainians have the right to determine their own future.
“As we reflect on the incredible sacrifices that Ukrainians have made in defence of their homeland, we are reminded that – despite everything they have faced in the last eleven years – ‘Ukraine has not yet perished, nor her glory, nor her freedom’.”