The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement:
“Given the continued deterioration of the security situation caused by the build up of Russian troops on Ukraine’s border, we will be moving our operations to a temporary office in Lviv and temporarily suspending operations at our embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine.
“Canada’s diplomatic presence and strong engagement in Ukraine will continue. Services for Canadian citizens will also continue to be offered from the temporary office, by appointment only. However, our ability to provide consular assistance could become increasingly limited.
“As always, our priority in these situations is ensuring the safety and security of all Canadians on the ground. Canadians should continue to avoid all travel to Ukraine. We urge those currently in Ukraine to leave now.
“We will resume operations at the embassy in Kyiv as soon as the security situation in Ukraine allows us to ensure the adequate delivery of services and guarantee the security of our staff.
“Canadians in need of consular assistance in Ukraine should contact Global Affairs Canada’s 24/7 Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa at:
- telephone at +1 613 996 8885
- email at sos@international.gc.ca
- SMS at +1 613 686 3658”