Russia’s embassy in Canada issued a rare statement Tuesday criticizing Foreign Minister Melanie Joly’s comments in support of Ukraine amid the country’s rising tensions with Moscow, accusing Canada of “ignoring numerous crimes” by Kyiv.
Joly wrapped her two-day trip to Ukraine, the first leg of a three-country continental tour that will include stops in France and meetings with European Union and NATO leaders in Brussels.
She met with Ukraine’s prime minister and deputy prime minister on Monday to discuss Canada’s support amid a military buildup on the Russian border.
On Tuesday, Joly tweeted a photo of her visiting the Wall of Remembrance in Kyiv, which pays tribute to the nearly 4,500 Ukrainian soldiers who have died fighting Russia-backed separatist forces in the country’s east since 2014.