On August 22, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Yevhen Perebyinis received copies of credentials from the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to Ukraine Tamara Ann Mawhinney.
Yevhen Perebyinis congratulated the head of the diplomatic mission on the start of her activities in Ukraine and highly appreciated the dynamic development of Ukrainian-Canadian relations and the current level of political dialogue between the two states.
The Deputy Minister expressed sincere gratitude to Canada and the Canadian people for their comprehensive support for Ukraine in countering Russian aggression. Canada's significant contribution to strengthening the defense capabilities of our state was noted, in particular through the provision of military assistance, the volume of which since 2022 has exceeded 8.5 billion Canadian dollars. Separately, Yevhen Perebyinis stressed the importance of Canada's participation in the procurement of critically needed weapons for Ukraine within the framework of the NATO PURL mechanism.
The interlocutors discussed the prospects for involving Canadian business in projects for the reconstruction of Ukraine, in particular in the energy, transport, infrastructure and agricultural sectors. In this context, the Ukrainian side expressed interest in the early appointment of a new Canadian special representative for the reconstruction of Ukraine.
Yevhen Perebyinis also thanked Canada for its significant contribution to supporting the economic stability of Ukraine, in particular through the implementation of development programs and humanitarian assistance. Canada's contribution of 90 million Canadian dollars to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, as well as support for the Ukraine Transport Support Fund established in 2026, was separately noted.
During the meeting, the parties paid special attention to the issues of increasing sanctions pressure on Russia. The Ukrainian side highly appreciated Canada's leadership role in imposing sanctions against the Russian energy sector, military-industrial complex, financial sector and "shadow fleet" and stressed the need for further expansion of sanctions restrictions. The parties also discussed cooperation within the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children. The Deputy Minister thanked Canada for its leadership in this initiative and expressed hope for the successful holding of an international conference in Toronto in September 2026 dedicated to the return of Ukrainian children illegally deported by Russia, detained civilians and prisoners of war.