Trudeau was told soldiers would be needed to safely reopen embassy in Kyiv

Article content

OTTAWA – Before deciding to reopen Canada’s embassy in Kyiv, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was warned the building would need military protection for security reasons, but the government is declining to say if soldiers are on the ground.

Article content

Trudeau announced the reopening of the embassy in May when he made a surprise visit to the city, which has been attacked dozens of times since the war began a year ago.

Article content

Less than a month prior, Trudeau received a memo from his national security adviser, Jody Thomas, weighing the risks of reopening the embassy. Canada pulled out of the Kyiv facility in February 2022 when Russian forces first launched their assault on the country.

Thomas warned in the memo that while Russian forces had pulled back there was still a significant risk to embassy staff.

“While the security situation has improved in Kyiv, there remains a considerable threat to renewed armed conflict and espionage activities,” reads the memo. “Security conditions in Kyiv could deteriorate very rapidly. For example, even if the main Russian effort is in the south and east of Ukraine, Kyiv could still be targeted with long-range strikes.”

Article content

Citing that high security risk, Global Affairs was asking the Canadian Armed Forces to support the return to Kyiv, both the initial return to the embassy and ongoing support. The memo mentions that Global Affairs was hoping soldiers could be tasked with “providing vehicle escorts for staff movements within Ukraine” and “providing close (armed) protection.”

Canada shares its embassy building with Australia, which has not reopened its embassy in Kyiv, though most other Western nations have reopened.

The memo, which the National Post obtained through access to information, is redacted in several key areas, but makes clear the military should be involved in early assessments to determine if the embassy is safe, and then provide security in an ongoing capacity. The military are not commonly used to protect Canadian embassies, but have been used in conflict areas in the past.

Article content

National Defence spokesperson Jessica Lamirande confirmed the military was involved in the reopening, but she provided few details and wouldn’t say if troops remain in Kyiv.

“We can confirm that the Department of National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces provided support for the reopening of Canada’s Embassy in Kyiv, as is customary in such security environments,” she said in an email. “For reasons of operational security, we will not provide any additional information.”

The memo makes clear that, while there are risks, the government saw reopening the embassy as a vote of confidence in Ukraine, noting it “would convey a very strong message of support to Ukraine and emphasize Canada’s recognition of Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity, at a time where these remain under threat.”

Article content

Staff from Global Affairs Canada didn’t answer questions about the military’s presence in Kyiv, but said staff have returned to the embassy. They said even though the embassy is not fully operational, having staff there has made coordination with Ukraine’s government easier.

“Re-establishing our diplomatic presence in Ukraine has allowed Canada to work closely with Ukraine in order to further support them against Russia’s illegal invasion and contribute to addressing a series of issues caused by Putin’s war of choice, such as food insecurity, and war crimes investigations,” said department spokesperson Jean-Pierre Godbout in an email.

Canada has provided millions of dollars in weapons and provided extensive financial aid to the country as it continues to hold out against the Russian invasion.

Article content

Godbout said departments are up and running inside the embassy, but they are not receiving the public.

“All mission programs are operational with staff working at the chancery in Kyiv but given the current security environment in Kyiv, in-person services at the Canadian Embassy in Ukraine have been temporarily suspended.”

Godbout said they are continuing to examine the security situation and hope to return full service to the embassy soon.

“We continue to assess the assignment of personnel in Kyiv and look forward to gradually restoring Canada’s full diplomatic presence and services, as soon as possible.”

Godbout said people looking to apply for a visa can apply in Lviv, which is in the eastern part of Ukraine and consular and immigration cases continue to be processed through the embassy in Poland.

Twitter: RyanTumilty
Email: rtumilty@postmedia.com