Trudeau welcomes Russia's suspension from UNHRC: 'Attacks on Ukraine won’t go unpunished'

As Russia continues its offensive against Kyiv, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday lashed out at Moscow for committing manifold human rights violations in Ukraine. Hours after the UN General Assembly (UNGA) suspended Russia from the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), Trudeau in a Twitter post slammed Russia for its "blatant disregard" for human rights and stated that its brutal attack on Ukraine "can't and won't go" unpunished. The Canadian PM also termed the UN resolution a "step in the direction" of holding Russia accountable for the unspeakable atrocities in the embattled ex-Soviet nation.

Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly has also welcomed the UNGA resolution suspending Moscow from the UN Human Rights Council. "Canada welcomes Russia’s suspension from @UN_HRC, a testament to further international condemnation of their egregious actions," she wrote on Twitter. She emphasised, "With reports of the murder & rape of Ukrainian civilians at the hands of Russian forces, Russia’s disregard for human rights couldn’t be more clear."

Canada proposes to increase defended spending by $6.4bn

The Canadian government on Thursday unveiled its defence budget of $6.4 billion over the next five years, ending months of talks on military spending. Addressing the House of Commons, Deputy Prime Minister of Canada Chrystia Freeland attempted to convince the house that the increase in defence funding would ensure bolstered efforts towards Ukraine. "When Russian President Vladimir Putin openly fired on the people of Ukraine, he also turned his guns on the unprecedented era of prosperity that the world's democracies had worked so diligently to build over more than 76 years," Freeland said.

The Deputy PM also stated that Canada needs to enhance its response against the aggressor that has "destroyed almost everything" in Ukraine. She stressed that Ottawa, in a bid to beef up its support to Ukraine, has already intensified sanctions on Russia and its closest ally, Belarus for supporting the war. Nevertheless, she acknowledged that "mutilated people of Bucha, shot with their hands tied behind their back - have shown us that this is not enough... because they are fighting our fight- a fight for democracy."

Apart from the defence budget, Ottawa has also planned to boost its military support to Ukraine with nearly $400 million in addition to the previous allotments. "Budget 2022 proposes to provide an additional C$500 million ($397 million) in 2022-23 to provide further military aid to Ukraine," read the document.

Zelenskyy to Arnab: 'Ukraine needs UN to issue ultimatums, not just show its concern'

Amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday spoke in a mega exclusive interview with Republic Media Network's Editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami, where he hit out at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for not taking strong measures against Moscow by isolating them, and just using the word 'concerned' for over eight years.

When asked if Zelenskyy would want a status quo ante, the Ukrainian President said, "Today we are ready to say that at least they should withdraw from those positions that they had at the beginning of February 24. Those cities that are currently occupied by Russia, we will not leave them occupied." 

(Image: AP)