Ukrainian Canadians urge Ottawa to campaign to kick Russia out of G20 – National

The Ukrainian-Canadian Congress wants Canada to step up pressure on Vladimir Putin’s regime and lead a global impeachment to expel Russia from the G20.

Congress President Alexandra Chyczij has written to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asking him to take steps to exclude Russia from the forum of leading world economies.

Chyczij said Russia is using the G20 as a platform to lie about its reasons for invading Ukraine.

Congress fears that allowing Putin to attend the G20 leaders’ meeting in Bali, Indonesia in November would send the wrong signal and undermine the G20’s credibility.

It would also make it more difficult for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to attend the summit as a guest.

Foreign Minister Melanie Joly will attend the G20 foreign ministers meeting in Indonesia this week, although her Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov is also expected.

Joly told The Canadian Press that she would not shake Lavrov’s hand and planned to use the opportunity to spread Russian lies about the invasion.

In March, Joly was leaving a United Nations meeting in Geneva with others when Lavrov, who was sanctioned by Canada, began speaking days earlier.

In her letter, Chyczij pointed out that the Canadian Parliament had declared that Russia was committing genocide in Ukraine.

Because of this, and because of the government’s policy of isolating the Russian Federation from the international community, Congress said Canada should lead the process of Russia’s exclusion from the G20.

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In 2014, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said he wanted leaders to expel Russia from the G8 group of industrialized nations following Ukraine’s annexation of Crimea. After Russia’s membership was suspended indefinitely, the remaining nations became known as the G7.

Chyczij said Canada should “show the same bold leadership by calling for Russia’s exclusion from the G20.”

Since the invasion of Ukraine, Joly and other ministers refuse to share the floor when Russia speaks at summits.

In March, Joly was leaving a United Nations meeting in Geneva with others when Lavrov, who was sanctioned by Canada, began speaking days earlier.

In April, Treasury Secretary Chrystia Freeland joined a strike at a G20 meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors in Washington to protest the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

In May, International Trade Minister Mary Ng, along with her counterparts from the United States, Australia, Japan and New Zealand, were leaving an APEC meeting in Bangkok when the Russian representative began to speak.

In an interview after the strike, Ng said it was not a “one off event” and she was ready to do it again.

Last week, Trudeau said Canada would attend the G20 leaders’ meeting in November even if Putin were to leave, arguing it was important to counter Russia’s voice at the table.

Canada’s participation alongside Russia in Indonesia creates a diplomatic dilemma at the G20, including at this week’s foreign ministers’ summit in Bali.

Joly recently said it was unacceptable for a Canadian official to attend a reception at the Russian Embassy in Ottawa.

And Russia’s foreign minister has been one of the most vocal supporters of the invasion and Putin’s justifications.

Orest Zakydalsky, senior political adviser to Congress, urged Joly and other foreign ministers to leave the G20 if Lavrov speaks.

“It’s no use sitting and listening to a liar trying to justify Putin’s war,” he said.