‘Never submit to evil,’ Zelenskyy urges in speech as Trudeau vows $650M more

globalnews.ca:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy entered the chamber of the House of Commons to give his historic address to Canadians.Zelenskyy appeared to wipe a tear away as he was met with a minute-long standing ovation before Trudeau gave his welcome speech emphasizing the “pivotal” moment facing the world, and pledging $650 million in new funding to support Ukraine over three years.In his speech, Zelenskyy focused on the necessity to “never submit to evil” and began by talking about the construction of the world’s first Holodmor monument in Edmonton in 1983.“At that time, Ukraine didn’t yet have memorials commemorating the victims of genocide of Ukrainians because Ukraine was under Moscow’s control,” Zelenskyy said.Zelenskyy said that in the past 40 years, a lot has changed. Ukraine gained independence and dozens of countries recognized the systemic starvation of Ukrainians by Russia as a genocide.“It is genocide, what Russian occupiers are doing to Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said.“It is not just about an ordinary conflict.

It is about saving lives of millions of people.”Zelenskyy thanked Canada for the ongoing military and humanitarian support, saying it has helped save thousands of lives. The president also thanked Canada for support in Ukraine’s NATO membership bid and the ongoing training of Ukrainian soldiers.So far, Canada has contributed over $8 billion to Ukraine’s war effort — a number that is set to continue to grow, Trudeau vowed on Friday.“It is not just about choosing the right side, it is about being a leader on the right side and you always do that.