Volodymyr Zelenskyy calls for more Ukraine support in virtual address to Canadian students
23 June 2022 17:16
Students should pressure their political representatives to provide more support to Ukraine to help fight the ongoing Russian invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, speaking virtually an interactive event hosted by the University of Toronto and the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy and 10 other Universities across Canada.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine needs more weapons, financial support, humanitarian aid, and permanent sanctions on Russia.
“It’s very important that yourselves, students from many other countries, would pass on this message to their respective countries to pressure their political management to give Ukraine what it needs,” he said.
“With your actions, please do not allow anyone somewhere on the hierarchy of bureaucratic corridors to forget about what’s going on in Ukraine, to forget about war. Please don’t become tired because of the war.”
He said students can go to rallies and use social media accounts and communication with their friends to remind people of the tragedies that are happening in Ukraine, nearly four months after Russia’s invasion of the country began.
Speaking over a video link, Volodymyr Zelenskyy was greeted with a standing ovation by about 250 people who attended the event at University of Toronto’s Munk School.
Students at 10 other universities across Canada, including the Universite de Montreal, the University of Alberta, Western University and Dalhousie University, took part virtually.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy later answered questions from students on different topics including the role of internet and social media in the war, how international organisations can be improved to prevent similar conflicts and the future of Ukraine.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said Canada has committed $1.87 billion in financial assistance to Ukraine, of which $1.5 billion has already been delivered to the country.
“That is more than any other country has managed to send into the bank account of the government of Ukraine,” she said.
Chrystia Freeland said democratic countries, including Canada, cannot allow Russian President Vladimir Putin to succeed in his war that aims to defeat democracy in Ukraine.
“I want to say to President Zelenskyy and I want to say President Vladimir Putin, who I think is probably listening to us as well, that for as long as it takes Canada will be there for Ukraine,” she said.
