US, Canada Continue to be Staunchest Supporters of Ukraine

United States and Canada continue to be the staunchest supporters of Ukraine in its war with Russia.

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird announced on Friday, July 11, that it added 14 more individuals to the list of those sanctioned over Russia’s war with Ukraine.

Baird said Canada welcomes an agreement last week in Berlin on talks between Russia and Ukraine to restore a ceasefire in the region, but said “Moscow's failure to back up its words with deeds will result in further costs to the Russia Federation.”

“Peace will only be achieved if Russia and the gunmen it continues to support start showing good faith in talks with Kyiv,” he said, calling on Russia to stop arming terrorists and draw down its forces on the Ukrainian border.

Baird called news Friday of the deaths of 30 Ukrainian soldiers "shocking" and pointed to “Russian-sponsored subversion and violence.”

“This type of aggressive action, this type of military capability is not coming from some natural group of concerned Ukrainian citizens and it has to stop,” Baird said.

Baird said Canada is supportive of NATO’s response to the crisis.

“Canada has been very front and center and supportive of the reassurance package to NATO members who are on the border with Russia. Obviously the concerns, the real concerns in Romania and Poland and the three Baltic states are real and Canada is there,” Baird said.

In a statement, the Prime Minister’s Office said it is imposing economic sanctions and travel bans against 14 individuals it described as members of insurgent groups or separatist militias in eastern Ukraine or members of Russian groups supporting them:

Viktor Yuriiovych Anosov

Viacheslav Anatoliiovych Apraksimov

Fedir Dmytrovych Berezin

Ruslan Yunirovish Ilkaev

Valery Vladimirovich Kaurov

Oleksandr Sergiyovych Khodakovskyi

Mykola Ivanovych Kozitsyn

Oleksii Borysovych Mozgovyi.

Valerii Kostiantynovych Musiienko

Viacheslav Mykolaiovych Petrov

Ihor Venedyktovych Plotnytsky

Yurii Oleksandrovych Protsenko

Oleh Anatoliiovych Vasin

Serhii Anatoliyovych Zdriliuk

Vice-president Joe Biden on Saturday encouraged the Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, to pursue talks that could lead to a ceasefire with Russian terrorists and said Washington continued to pursue efforts to raise pressure on Russia.

Biden, who has been the point man for the White House on the Ukrainian crisis, spoke to Poroshenko by phone earlier in the day.

“President Poroshenko informed the vice-president about the latest separatist attacks using heavy weapons on Ukrainian forces and the vice-president expressed his condolences for the loss of life,” the White House said in a statement.

“[Vice President Biden] expressed support for President Poroshenko’s efforts to convene a meeting to discuss a possible ceasefire with the separatists, and informed Poroshenko of ongoing US diplomatic efforts to work with our international partners to impose costs on Russia if it continues on its current course of providing the separatists with heavy weapons and equipment.”

The US has warned repeatedly that it will impose further sanctions, along with its western allies, against Russia if Moscow did not use its influence to tame the separatists and make peace with Kiev.

The European Union on Saturday also said it imposed new sanctions on leading rebel figures.

Without this staunch support, Ukraine would be overrun by Russian terrorists that would signal an escalation that would ultimately threaten peace and security in Poland and other Eastern European countries.