Ottawa, Ontario
Prime Minister Stephen Harper today issued the following statement on the situation in Ukraine:
“Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a clear violation of international law.
“As such, today I am announcing that we are suspending our participation in the Canada-Russia Intergovernmental Economic Commission (IEC), established to promote economic relations between Canada and Russia.
“Also, at Ukraine’s request, Canada, along with a number of other member countries of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), will participate in an important military observer mission, which has been formed to report on military activities in the Crimean peninsula.
“Canada is contributing two military observers who are deploying to Ukraine now.
“And at the request of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, we will freeze the assets of members of the Yanukovych regime.
“Our actions with respect to the IEC, the freezing of assets of corrupt Ukrainian officials held in Canada, and our involvement in the OSCE mission are further examples of our support for Ukraine and our goal of stabilizing the tense situation in Crimea.
“President Putin must now immediately withdraw his forces to their bases and refrain from further provocative and dangerous actions.”