OTTAWA – Today, Green Party of Canada interim Leader Amita Kuttner released the following statement:
“The Green Party of Canada calls for accelerated diplomatic and economic efforts to bring about an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and an end to this illegal invasion of this democratic, sovereign nation. Greens understand people's right to self determination as essential to peace and security. Few people have fought as hard, or at such great cost, as Ukrainians have for their sovereignty, for democracy, and for their independence from foreign interference.
“We are deeply concerned for the safety and wellbeing of all Ukrainian citizens caught up in this humanitarian crisis. We stand in solidarity with Ukrainians and join our fellow Canadians and the citizens of the world in calling on Putin to end this atrocity. We support the majority of the world’s countries in their determination to consolidate Russia’s status as a pariah state, unfit to trade or otherwise interact with the global community of nations. Putin and his collaborators must face prosecution in the International Criminal Court for their crimes and for triggering a humanitarian and refugee crisis.
“We must also recognise the role played by the US and Western powers in breaking their promise not to expand NATO after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. The resulting tension between world powers has led to war with the potential for heavy loss of life, massive destruction, and environmental damage. We must also recognize the Budapest Memorandum which ensured the security of Ukraine when it dismantled its nuclear arsenal.
“We call on Canada to move quickly and decisively to help resettle as many of the hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians who have fled the violence in their country as possible. Canada has a special relationship with Ukraine, with over 1.3 million Ukrainians calling Canada home. They have helped build this country and we must do everything in our power to help those affected by this invasion and humanitarian crisis.
“We need to be clear that this is also a war over wealth and the control of fossil fuel resources and markets. As the climate emergency worsens, conflicts over resources will occur more frequently unless we move rapidly to locally based, distributed, renewable energy production models that are independent of the geo-political maneuvering of the world's superpowers.
“The Green Party does not support arms exports to Ukraine, the deployment of NATO forces in Ukraine or the unilateral creation of a no-fly-zone. This can only be done through agreement at the United Nations. NATO is a defensive alliance and its direct involvement would only lead to an expansion of this war. The threat of nuclear war hangs over the whole world.
“We stand in solidarity with peace activists in Russia, Ukraine, and around the world in demanding an immediate ceasefire, withdrawal of all Russian forces, and the use of diplomatic efforts to solve this crisis. The Canadian government should advocate for and support the renewal of the Minsk Peace Agreement, call for safe humanitarian corridors and increase humanitarian aid.”
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For more information or to arrange an interview:
John Chenery
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