Zelensky, Trudeau discuss compensation for families of PS752 victims

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau discussed the security situation in eastern Ukraine and efforts to obtain fair compensation for the families of the victims of the UIA plane downing near Tehran in 2020.

“I talked on phone with Justin Trudeau. I briefed him on security situation in Donbas. We exchanged views on international efforts to de-escalate. We discussed a possibility of continuing UNIFIER mission, agreed to seek fair compensation for families of PS752 victims together,” Zelensky posted on Twitter.

He also suggested that the Joint Declaration on Special Partnership between Canada and Ukraine should be updated, the President’s Office informs.

"Given the unprecedented nature of our bilateral relations, as well as new external challenges and priorities, I propose to instruct our Foreign Ministers to update the Joint Declaration," Zelensky said.

In addition, the President of Ukraine briefed the Prime Minister of Canada about the steps being taken to achieve peace within the existing negotiation formats. Noting the role of Ukraine's friends and partners in resolving the situation and preventing Russian aggression, the Head of State said that no decisions on Ukraine must be made without Ukraine.

The parties exchanged views on their positions in the light of planned international events and negotiation formats.

"The position of Western countries in the dialogue with Russia must remain firm and decisive. It is necessary to be ready for the immediate imposition of a preventive package of sanctions against Russia to counter the Kremlin's aggressive intentions," Zelenskyy said.

During the conversation, the President said that the Euro-Atlantic course of Ukraine remained unchanged and expressed confidence that Canada would continue to provide full support to Ukraine on its path towards membership in the Alliance.

"No one but Ukraine and NATO should influence the process of our integration with the Alliance," Zelensky said.

The President thanked the Canadian side for its strong support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and its Euro-Atlantic aspirations.

Zelensky invited Trudeau to visit Ukraine in 2022.

On January 8, 2020, the Ukraine International Airlines plane (Flight PS752) heading from Tehran to Kyiv was downed shortly after taking off from the Imam Khomeini International Airport. There were 176 people on board – nine crew members (all Ukrainians) and 167 passengers (citizens of Ukraine, Iran, Canada, Sweden, Afghanistan, Germany, and the UK). All of them died.

The Joint Declaration on Special Partnership between Canada and Ukraine was signed in Kyiv on March 31, 1994. On December 5, 2001, the Joint Declaration on Further Development of Special Partnership between Ukraine and Canada was signed in Kyiv.

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