Photo: The Canadian Press Secretary of State Melanie Joly The Canadian Foreign Minister is traveling to Europe for meetings to address the response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Mélanie Joly announced on Saturday that she will visit Finland, Germany and Belgium. Joly is scheduled to meet with Finnish counterpart Pekka Haavisto in Helsinki, where she says they will work to strengthen the Canada-Finland bilateral relationship. The couple will also discuss ways to coordinate efforts on Arctic issues and further support Ukraine. While in Berlin, Germany Joly will attend a conference of the Moldovan Support Platform, where discussions will focus on helping Ukrainian refugees forced into the country as a result of the Russian invasion. In Brussels, Belgium, the minister will attend meetings of the G7 and NATO foreign ministers to discuss ongoing co-ordination to strengthen regional security in Eastern Europe. “The war in Ukraine affects us all and we must work with the international community to respond to the heinous acts of Vladimir Putin,” Jolie told a news conference. “Ukraine’s security is important not only for Ukraine but also for the world.” On March 8, Canada announced the renewal of its multiannual commitment to Operation Reaffirmation, supporting the Canadian Armed Forces in NATO safeguards and deterrence measures in Central and Eastern Europe.
