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  4. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen
Ottawa, Ontario

Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, about Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine’s sovereign territory.

Prime Minister Trudeau strongly condemned the large-scale military aggression by Russia against the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Ukraine. The two leaders stressed that Russia’s actions threaten peace and order in Europe and around the world, are blatant violations of international law, and will not be tolerated.

Prime Minister Trudeau and President von der Leyen recognized the heroic efforts and sacrifices of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and people, and committed to further supporting Ukraine. The two leaders discussed the heavy, punitive sanctions against those in Russia who are directly responsible for this tragedy. Prime Minister Trudeau reiterated his strong support for further economic sanctions that will impact Russia’s ability to do business around the world. The Prime Minister also praised the transatlantic cooperation that led to today’s joint statement by the leaders of the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Canada, which committed to removing Russian banks from the SWIFT messaging system and enforcing additional restrictive measures against Russian banks, companies, officials, and elites. This includes imposing restrictive measures that will prevent the Russian Central Bank from deploying its international reserves in ways that undermine the impact of sanctions. The two leaders also stressed the importance of strengthening the security of the countries neighbouring Ukraine.

Prime Minister Trudeau and President von der Leyen agreed to continue coordinating closely on efforts with allies and partners to impose severe costs on Russia.

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