Wilson Center Talk "Canada: Ukraine's Crucial Ally"

Dr. Chris Sands, WWU’s former Ross Distinguished Visiting Professor and the current Director of the Wilson Center’s Canada Institute in Washington D.C., will be leading an important conversation on the Canada-Ukraine relationship. 

Joining the conversation are Professor Dominique Arel, Associate Professor of Political Science and Chair of Ukrainian Studies at the University of Ottawa, alongside Dr. Jane Boulden, Professor at the Royal Military College of Canada.

On December 2, 1991, Canada became the first western country to recognize Ukraine’s independence. Canada and Ukraine have enjoyed a close relationship since. This bilateral relationship is strengthened by warm people-to-people ties, rooted in the Ukrainian - Canadian community of 1.3 million people. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has drawn a strong official and popular reaction from Canadians, and Canada will play an important role in the defense of Ukraine and in its future. Understanding the complex interconnections between these two countries is essential for the United States and other NATO allies as they assemble a strategic response to Russia and plan for the peacetime reconstruction of Ukraine's cities and economy.