Canada will not recognize Russian passports issued to the residents of the occupied Ukrainian Donbas, as Ukraine’s Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman reported referring to Canada’s Foreign Ministry.
“Canada does not recognize Russian passports issued to the residents of the occupied Ukrainian Donbas. We discussed a possibility of this decision in May during the visit of the Head of Canada’s Foreign Ministry Chrystia Freeland to Kyiv,” Groysman wrote.
The Prime Minister welcomed this step of the Canadian Government and thanked for its support.
According to the statement, Canada will do everything so that Donbas residents with Russian passports could not enter the country.
“Canada also takes specific steps against Russian aggression in Ukraine and condemns Russia’s decision to issue Russian passports to Ukrainians who live in Donbas. For today, Canada will take steps to prevent people from using these passports for traveling to the country,” the message reads.
On June 14, it was reported that the citizens of occupied Donbas began to get the passports of the Russian Federation registered in the simplified order in accordance with the April order of the Russian president.
Foreign Ministry of Ukraine condemned such measures stating about the intention to continue work on the imposing of proper sanctions against Russia.
Head of the EU Delegation in Ukraine Hugues Mingarelli stated that the EU leaders will discuss the issuance of the Russian passports to the citizens of occupied Donbas soon.
