"My great-grandfather was killed just like Russians are killing civilians in Ukraine." An interview with the Canadian ambassador.

You have deep connections to Ukraine: your parents were born here. How did you react when the full-scale war began?

It was a painful blow. My grandparents and parents all hail from Ukraine. My father was born in Truskavets. My grandparents left Ukraine around 1946 to escape Soviet occupation.

My maternal great-grandfather was killed in a manner strikingly similar to how Russians are currently killing civilians in Ukraine during the full-scale invasion. He was a school principal. Soviet troops would come in and capture the leaders of each community. My great-grandfather was tortured and then killed. This was their way of trying to conquer and intimidate Ukrainians.

And we see that Russians are doing the same thing in Ukraine again, employing the same tactics. Whether it's the policy of the Holodomor or the full-scale invasion, these are familiar methods that Russia has used against Ukrainians for years. History is repeating itself. But Ukrainians are putting up fierce resistance. I’m not surprised by that, perhaps because I have Ukrainian roots.

What do you think is the secret to Ukrainian resistance?

It's just incredible how quickly Ukrainians managed to organize territorial defense. Ordinary people came together to protect their communities. This has certainly astonished the entire world. But I know that Ukrainians have always resisted, so I expected this.

When I worked at the embassy in 2013, I traveled extensively throughout Ukraine. Before becoming Canada’s ambassador to Ukraine, I spent over 13 years as part of the embassy team. I was involved in the democracy and human rights protection program that Canada was developing here, as well as in the security cooperation program between our countries when Russia annexed Crimea. At that time, we focused on helping Ukraine bolster its cybersecurity and media support.

I traveled to Luhansk and Donetsk and met with media representatives. Although I was told it was a Russian-speaking community, I saw a different reality. I met people there who spoke Ukrainian beautifully. In every corner of Ukraine, I always encountered Ukrainians who spoke Ukrainian and were proud of their history and heritage.

In my opinion, it’s not even about the language. I have never met anyone here who wished for Ukraine to be part of Russia. The people living in Ukraine defend their values. They are fighting for their rights and freedom. They do not want to live in the authoritarian world that Russia brings.

If the U.S. stops supporting Ukraine, will Canada continue to help us?

Canada has made it very clear that it stands with Ukraine. We will continue to provide this support. It’s not just about the government. Numerous Canadian organizations are constantly coming here.

Recently, I was on a train from Warsaw to Lviv. A woman from Toronto was in my compartment. On her birthday, she raised funds, bought equipment and drones, and personally delivered them to one of the Ukrainian brigades. Yes, she has Ukrainian roots. But she could have spent her money and vacationed anywhere.

We view this war not just as a confrontation between Russia and Ukraine. For Canadians, this is a war with global implications: the security of Ukraine affects our security.

Ukraine has always fought for its democracy and rights. And as a country that shares these values, Canada insists that Ukraine has the right to self-determination. Therefore, our support is unwavering.

Canada was one of the first countries to recognize Ukraine's independence in 1991. How do you see the future relationship between Ukraine and Canada?

Canada was the second country in the world and the first outside Europe after Poland to recognize Ukraine's independence.

About 4% of Canadians have Ukrainian roots, which is approximately 1.5 million people in a country with a population of 38 million. That’s a quite powerful diaspora.

Although the Canadian government is already very supportive of Ukraine, Canadians of Ukrainian descent also play a significant role in ensuring that this support does not wane by advising authorities on how to improve relations between our countries.

Canada is a nation of immigrants who have moved from all corners of the globe. Many people come to Canada fleeing persecution. They are usually accustomed to fighting for their rights. Thus, there is a strong sense of justice among all Canadians, and a consensus on supporting Ukraine.

Last month, a powerful government delegation from Canada visited Ukraine. Speaker of the House of Commons Greg Fergus assured from the podium of the Ukrainian parliament that Ukraine has support from all our parties.

Canada is currently assisting Ukraine in all areas—from humanitarian to military. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, it has spent about 20 billion dollars to support Ukraine.

What is your assessment of the situation regarding democracy and human rights in Ukraine today? Do you see progress in reforming democratic and anti-corruption institutions?

Ukraine is a democratic country with a very strong civil society. Ukrainians have defined their reform agenda themselves and know very well what they need to improve.

Ukraine is actively working on judicial reform and creating effective anti-corruption institutions.

Your country is making significant strides towards EU membership and is implementing these reforms at a pace that no one expected.

How is Canada cooperating with Ukraine to hold Russia accountable for war crimes and violations of international law?

Like many other countries, Canada supports Ukraine's “peace formula”. Canada participates in every working group, particularly on issues of justice and accountability.

Canada has deployed personnel in Ukraine to support investigations into Russian war crimes. We allocated 2 million dollars for a targeted fund for the International Criminal Court to enhance the court's capacity to investigate crimes committed by Russians related to sexual violence, as well as against children.

Canada is part of the group of countries convened by Ukraine that is working on establishing a special tribunal for Russian war crimes.

If Putin were to come to Canada, would he be arrested?

There is no doubt about that. If Putin suddenly found himself in Canada, he would be arrested.

Canada is collaborating with Ukraine on the return of Ukrainian children who have been occupied or deported to Russia. Can you tell us more about this?

Canada, along with Norway and Ukraine, co-chairs a working group focused on bringing home Ukrainian prisoners of war, civilians, and children who have been forcibly deported or abducted. In October, we held a two-day meeting at the ministerial level in Montreal, where the Montreal Agreement on cooperation for facilitating the return of prisoners of war, unlawfully detained civilians, and forcibly displaced children was signed. To date, 45 countries have signed this agreement.

We are focusing on three areas. One is obtaining complete and reliable information on where the detainees are located (their whereabouts, legal status, and health condition). The second is the necessity of calling Russia to provide humane conditions of detention and to cease torture. The third area involves creating mechanisms for the safe return of Ukrainians to their homeland.

Canada is helping to create a database to track all those unlawfully held in Russia and in the occupied territories of Ukraine. Secondly, we are participating in a working group that monitors the fair and humane treatment of detainees. We are working to compel Russians to stop torturing and mistreating Ukrainians held in Russian captivity.

Another working group that Canada is part of is related to creating mechanisms that ensure the regular return of Ukrainians from captivity. Many have already returned to Ukraine thanks to the mediation efforts of countries such as Qatar or the Vatican. We are exploring how we can assist Ukraine from a diplomatic standpoint.

If you had to name the strengths and weaknesses of Ukrainians, what would you say?

Ukrainian women are an enormous strength. Many here consider themselves representatives of a society with traditional values, but often Ukrainians take on non-traditional roles. Women in your country are very proactive. And I believe this is a strong point of Ukraine.

Secondly, I admire how Ukraine honors its poets. Ukrainians regard them as true heroes of the nation. When I see soldiers reciting their poetry, I perceive this as a hidden tremendous strength of Ukrainians.

Moreover, I am struck by what former prisoners of war recount upon their return: for them, the greatest act of defiance was singing Ukrainian songs in Russian captivity. Where in the world have you seen such a thing?

I really love Ukrainian humor. Even in the darkest times, people always have a joke for you. I think this is a fantastic superpower that makes Ukrainians indomitable.

As for the weaknesses of Ukraine, it’s very difficult to answer that question; I don’t see any.

Years ago, one could say that Ukrainians lacked unity. But everything changed after the full-scale invasion. This is a huge shift. And you did this yourselves. No one helped you with that.

On the other hand, many have left the country. And that is a big problem. But if every Ukrainian abroad supports the country financially and becomes its voice in the world, this could strengthen Ukraine. There needs to be a more organized effort to turn this weakness into a strength.

I think Ukraine is finally