Stand with Ukraine

Estonian World Council and Estonian Central Council in Canada

Statement on Russia's War against Ukraine

April 11, 2022

The unprovoked and brutal war that Putin’s Russia has unleashed on Ukraine is an evil not seen in Europe since World War II. The world is horrified by the premeditated attacks and massacres in Bucha, Mariupol, the railway station in Kramatorsk, and elsewhere in the country. Hospitals, schools and homes are being destroyed. Women and girls are raped by Russian soldiers, civilians are tortured, executed and forcibly rounded up and deported to Russia. Every day brings new war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Putin has grossly miscalculated the will of the Ukrainian people to defend their homeland and survive. He is not winning this war and must not be allowed to do so. If Putin’s regime is not stopped now, it will continue to murder Ukrainians and spread its evil to other parts of Europe.

The Estonian World Council asks the European Union, NATO and its allies to:

• Investigate and prosecute Putin and Russian perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity
• Expel all Russian diplomats immediately
• Terminate Russia’s membership in the United Nations Security Council
• Provide Ukraine with the aircraft, anti-air and anti-missile defence systems, tanks, artillery and sophisticated weaponry it is requesting
• Maximize sanctions to include energy imports from Russia
• Freeze Russian assets and make Russia pay reparations to Ukraine
• Establish a permanent NATO deterrence force in the Baltics

Further, the Estonian Central Council in Canada calls upon the Canadian government to:

• Supply Ukraine with harpoon surface to sea missiles
• Ban all Russian state media in Canada
• Ban all trade with Russia
• Impose a moratorium on all visas for Russians

The world averted its gaze from Russian atrocities in Grozny and Aleppo, and stood by as Putin forcibly annexed Crimea, the Donbas, South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Transnistria. The free world needs to live up to its post WWII commitment of “Never again” and remain united in stopping Russia’s indiscriminate slaughter of innocent people and war of annihilation against Ukraine. 

Estonian World Council and Estonian Central Council in Canada

Joint Statement on Russia's Escalation of Aggression against Ukraine

February 22, 2022

Russian president Putin’s order to “recognize” and send “peacekeepers” into the Russian-occupied territories of Donetsk and Lugansk in eastern Ukraine is a serious violation of international law and an escalation of Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.

Putin’s February 21^st televised address, in which he lamented the end of the Soviet Union indicates a full-out Russian invasion of Ukraine is increasingly likely. Putin referred to Ukraine’s independence as an historical accident and the 2014 pro-democracy revolution as a coup d’etat. By demanding the withdrawal of NATO troops from the Baltics and Eastern Europe and denying Ukraine the right to self-determination, Putin is advocating for an unacceptable return to 1997 status in Europe, and a dismantling of NATO defensive security measures.

Over the past two decades, Russia has occupied parts of Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova and currently poses the greatest threat to European security since the end of the cold war. Hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers are now mobilized on the Russian border with Ukraine and in Belarus.

The Estonian World Council calls upon NATO, the European Union and its partners to stand unified in solidarity with Ukraine, increase military and economic assistance to Ukraine, shut down the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, and immediately implement severe sanctions against Russia. The future of a democratic, free Ukraine and Europe as a whole is at stake.

The Estonian Central Council in Canada calls upon the Canadian government to immediately implement severe sanctions against Russia’s economy and Russian officials with assets in Canada.

Please visit our News & Media page for more information.

Donations

Please consider donating to organizations supporting Ukraine. Here is a partial list.

Canada Ukraine Foundation

Millions of dollars in humanitarian aid and support have been delivered to the Ukrainian people by the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation and Ukrainian Canadian Congress.

Website: www.cufoundation.ca 

EERO – Estonian Ecumenical Relief Organization

EERO is a Canadian Registered Charity and has set up a Ukrainian Refugee Fund to help Estonia with the arrival of temporary Ukrainian refugees.

Website: https://www.eerocanada.com/ 

Maple Hope Foundation

A Canadian non-governmental organization committed to helping people suffering from the conflict in Ukraine.

Website: www.maplehopefoundation.org

Ukrainian Organization – Caritas Ukraine

Providing material and social aid, psychological support; counseling about and protection of their rights; assisting in reintegration processes.

Website: www.caritas.eu

In Estonia – Ukraina Heaks

"Ukraina heaks!" on kolme Eesti vabaühenduse algatus Ukraina rindelähedaste elanike ja teiste haavatavate gruppide abistamiseks. Ida-Ukraina rindelähedastes asulates vajab jätkuvalt humanitaarabi umbes 2,9 miljonit inimest. Piirkonda on elama jäänud need, kellel pole kuhugi mujale minna; tühjenevates asulates tekkinud tööpuudus on loonud laialdase vaesuse olukorra, kus toetust igapäevaseks toimetulekuks vajab suurem osa kohalejäänutest. Vajadus on ka psühhosotsiaalse toe järele, et ebakindlate oludega toime tulla. Need inimesed sõltuvad oma toimetulekus suures osas headest abistajatest.

Website: https://www.ukrainaheaks.ee

In Estonia – Ukraina Toetuseks

Ettevõtja, nüüd on sinu kord teha annetus, sest sõjatules Ukrainas on puudust kõigest. Sõda ei ole mitte lihtsalt sotsiaalne, vaid ka majanduslik katastroof. Sinu ettevõtte annetus aitab Ukraina rahval agressorile vastu seista. Anneta juba täna, et meie ei peaks omal maal homme oma riigi ja vabaduse eest võitlema.

Website: https://ukrainatoetuseks.ee

Links

Vancouver EKN “Stand With Ukraine”

 https://www.vesbc.com/index.php/ves/248-stand-with-ukraine

Latvian National Federation in Canada

https://www.lnak.net/en/home   (a good resource for websites, articles, and information)

#StandWithUkraine