November 5, 2014 – Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today released the following statement:
“Canada is deeply concerned by reports of Russian troops moving closer to the border with Ukraine.
“We strongly condemn these provocative actions by Russia, and we believe this is further proof that the Kremlin only seeks to hamper the peace process in Ukraine.
“We call on Russia to immediately withdraw its troops not only from border regions but also from Ukraine’s sovereign territory, where they continue to contribute to the violence that has cost over 4,000 lives to date.
“Russia and the militants it continues to support must immediately begin to implement their commitments under the Minsk agreements, as Ukraine has done. Russia’s failure to do so to date is unacceptable and jeopardizes the peace process.
“Canada will monitor developments closely and will continue to work with partners and allies to maintain pressure on Russia to cease its aggression.”
Minister John Baird in Kyiv, Ukraine