The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on the sham elections held by Russia in the temporarily occupied regions of Ukraine:

“This week, Vladimir Putin attempted to hold so-called elections in occupied Ukrainian territories – a cynical attempt to legitimize military conquest under the guise of democracy. But Ukrainians are not fooled, and neither are we. Canada does not, and will not ever, recognize the results of these sham elections or Russia’s attempted illegal annexation of Ukraine.

“The false choice offered to people in the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, as well as the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol, is an attack on Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence. These sham elections are serious violations of international law, including the United Nations Charter.

“We condemn, in the strongest possible terms, Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine and its attempted annexation of Ukraine’s territory. Canada will remain united with our G7 partners to ensure that Vladimir Putin and the Russian regime’s collaborators face consequences for their actions.

“To all Ukrainians who continue to defy the Russian regime’s authoritarianism, know that Canada will continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. We see through the lies. Putin will not redraw the map as he pleases, and Ukraine’s territory shall remain Ukraine’s.

“Slava Ukraini!”