Barry Ellsworth
22 June 2022•Update: 22 June 2022
TRENTON, Canada
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke to Canadian university students virtually Wednesday and asked them to pressure the government for more aid for his beleaguered country.
"We are fighting for freedom," said Zelenskyy, adding that Ukraine needs weapons and money, as well as having permanent sanctions placed on Russia.
"We need weapons, we need financial support, we need humanitarian support, and we need permanent 24/7 sanction pressure," he said. "No matter how many times I repeat this, it will never be one too many while the war is going on."
Moscow has been pounding Ukraine with soldiers and military might since its military operation began Feb. 24.
"The goal of Russia is a full-fledged occupation of Ukraine," the president told students by video link to 10 universities across Canada.
Zelenskyy was defiant, saying Ukraine has already "surprised the world" by its stout defense against the might of Moscow, "and we shall prevail against all the odds for the free and democratic future."
The Ukrainian president urged students to not let countries forget about the almost four-month conflict by attending rallies and spreading the message to help his country via social media.
He said the internet is a potent ally in Ukraine's fight.
“(Information) can sometimes give a bigger blow than some types of weapons, and our task is (to not let) the information ... run out, just like real shells and bullets shouldn’t run out at the front.”
Chrystia Freeland, Canada's financial and deputy prime minister, made remarks before Zelenskyy was introduced.
She said Ukraine’s democracy was at stake and Western countries could not allow Russia to prevail.
Freeland also noted that Canada has committed CAN$1.87 billion (US$1.44 billion( in aid to Ukraine to date.
