Freeland was questioned Thursday about war crimes that Russia has been accused of committing against Ukrainian citizens and of using sexual violence as a weapon of war. “War crimes have been committed in Ukraine, they are being committed in Ukraine. The evidence we have seen in Bucha and other parts of Russian-occupied Ukraine is absolutely frightening,” Freeland said after a tour of a carbon offensive. installation in Calgary. “I want to take some time to stress that one of the things that is happening is the systematic rape of women and children in Ukraine.”
“Rape is used as a weapon”
Freeland said Canada would work with its Democratic allies to oust those responsible. “Rape is being used as a weapon in this war and I want the women of Ukraine to know that we see them, we will not forget and we will work with Ukraine and our democratic allies around the world to bring the perpetrators to justice.” he said. Freeland, which also serves as finance minister, said it spoke with its Ukrainian counterpart on Thursday to offer its support to Canada. He also said that it was appropriate to describe the Russian occupation as an act of genocide – as did US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trindade – as thousands of Ukrainians have been killed and raped. Freeland pointed to a “creepy document” on a Russian website published 10 days ago “which essentially drew up a plan for genocide in Ukraine, which demanded the suffering, the punishment of the people who, in the view of this document, were wrong and wrong. describe themselves as Ukrainians. “ “This required the word Ukraine to be deleted,” he added. Freeland said the Russian occupation was a struggle between democracy and dictatorship and that it was in Canada’s interest to support Ukraine. “Honestly, we are really lucky that the Ukrainians are so bravely prepared to fight this fight for us, that they are ready to stand there and die in this fight,” he said. Up to 150 members of the Canadian Armed Forces are deployed in Poland to assist in the care, coordination and resettlement of Ukrainian refugees.
