Estonian Central Council in Canada
Statement on situation in Ukraine

In considering the critical situation in Ukraine the Estonian Central Council in Canada fully supports the position of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC). The future of Ukraine is important to Canada and Canadians. The Ukrainian people have dramatically shown us their will and determination to aspire to a better future with full democratic institutions and respect for human rights.

The Estonian Central Council calls upon the governing authorities in Ukraine to:

a) Respect human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Ukrainians.
b) Release from incarceration all peaceful protesters.
c) Refrain from the use of force against peaceful protesters.
d) End coercive tactics on civil society, students and journalists.
e) Bring to justice those responsible for gross human rights violations.

The Estonian Central Council in Canada calls upon Canada to reiterate its firm commitment to Ukraine’s Euro-integration and the signing of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. The Council urges Canada to implement an effective policy to address Russia’s violations of its international commitments, particularly the 1994 Budapest ‘Memorandum on Security Assurances in connection with Ukraine’s accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons’, with which Russia committed to refrain from economic pressure on Ukraine. The Council urges Canada to re-open negotiations for a Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement to reduce Ukraine’s dependency on trade with Russia.

The Council fully supports Canada for consistently stating that Russia must respect Ukraine’s total sovereignty in making its domestic as well as international decisions.

The Estonian Central Council in Canada

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