Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with Yulia Navalnaya, the Chairwoman of the Advisory Board of the Anti-Corruption Foundation and widow of former Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
Prime Minister Trudeau expressed his condolences following the death of Mr. Navalny in a Russian prison last February. He commended Ms. Navalnaya’s resilience and courage in continuing to stand up for human rights and democracy in the face of immense personal and political adversity.
The Prime Minister applauded the work of all human rights defenders as well as ordinary Russian civilians who bravely continue to oppose the repressive policies of the Kremlin, including its brutal and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed Canada’s support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in its fight against the Putin regime’s illegal invasion. Prime Minister Trudeau and Ms. Navalnaya expressed concerns with the Putin regime’s illegal deportation of Ukrainian children and its reported efforts to adopt them into Russian families. As Co-Chair with Ukraine of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, the Prime Minister reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to help return these children to their rightful homes and communities in Ukraine.
Prime Minister Trudeau and Ms. Navalnaya reaffirmed their commitment to promote human rights and democracy in Russia.