OTTAWA – The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) on April 22 congratulated Ukraine’s President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky on his victory in the presidential election. International observers recognized the election as free and fair, and the results of the election reflect the will of the Ukrainian people, the UCC noted.
“I congratulate Volodymyr Zelensky on his victory and the strong mandate he received from the Ukrainian people. I thank outgoing President Petro Poroshenko for his service to Ukraine and his contributions to a strong and democratic Ukraine,” said UCC National President Alexandra Chyczij.
“The Ukrainian people have affirmed their historic choice of Euro-Atlantic integration for their country. We look forward to working with President-elect Zelensky’s administration in furthering these strategic goals. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress will continue to support Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression and threats to territorial integrity, as well as to ongoing reforms, which will be the focus of the Ukraine Reform Conference this July in Toronto,” said Ms. Chyczij.
The UCC pointed out that Ukraine faces ongoing threats from the Russian Federation, including the invasion and illegal occupation of Crimea, ongoing war of aggression in eastern Ukraine and severe human rights violations of Ukrainian citizens, especially the nearly 100 Ukrainians being held by Russia as political prisoners, in violation of international law. The UCC expressed its deep admiration and solidarity with the Ukrainian people and the men and women of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, who are courageously defending Ukraine from Russia’s aggression.
Canada’s elections observation team in Ukraine, headed by Lloyd Axworthy, a former foreign minister, noted both the first and second rounds of presidential election to be a genuine expression of the free will of the Ukrainian people. The Canadian observers will now be headed home but are looking ahead to fall’s parliamentary elections in Ukraine.