Protesters work to extend barricaded positions in Independence Square in Kiev on Feb. 20, 2014.Sergey Ponomarev/The New York Times
The flag at the Ukrainian embassy in Canada is flying at half-mast to commemorate those lost to the violent flareup in the eastern European nation. The Globe and Mail spoke Thursday with Vadym Prystaiko, the Ukrainian ambassador to Canada who was appointed by President Viktor Yanukovych in 2012, about the crisis, the new Canadian sanctions and his hopes for the future.
What's your reaction to the travel and financial sanctions Canada announced Thursday?
My first reaction is it's a shame I'm finding out from a journalist, and not from the Government of Canada. It would be professionally polite to get a heads-up. Sanctions are a sort of threat; it's not real action. Somebody would have to try to travel to Canada in order for Ottawa to ban his or her travel.
What would you prefer to see Ottawa do?
Before we had to stop preparing the [European Union association] agreement and go with the Russian proposal [of a $15-billion U.S. economic bailout], we wanted to have better co-operation with somebody who would help us out of the situation. I had hoped Canada would've helped with the financial situation, through trade or something. It's easy to sanction someone. It's much more difficult to help. Canada was the first to recognize Ukraine's independence. But in a time of need, we expected something more practical.
Is it too late, then?
Yes, government already signed the Russian agreement, and with hundreds of people dead on the streets, you can't just turn off the switch and go back to three months ago. I'm trying to be optimistic, so I don't think it's too late for everything. People who see my comments that sanctions are worthless will believe that I'm just protecting the government, but I'm thinking about what we can do now. How can we promote the pro-European choice? What can we do tomorrow?
Who's to blame for what's going on right now? The Yanukovych government? Or the protesters?
The government is responsible for everything that goes on in Ukraine, positive or negative. At the same time, somebody who is shooting at police has to understand that their actions also have reactions.
What do you make of Russia's involvement?
If I'm Russia, I would consider it a great moment to influence the situation [in a way that] Russia sees as a positive development for [itself]. I think we have to find courage and strength to settle our scores among ourselves, and try to be independent from international pressure, especially when it's negative for our future. We took the money from Russia because nobody [emerged with a similar offer].
Would you have liked to see Ukraine sign the European Union association agreement?
For sure. And we still believe it can be done.
The opposition is demanding new presidential elections immediately, rather than in early 2015. Thoughts?
In our law, an election has to be announced six months before [voting day]. So more or less, announcing it now would speed it up by what, five months? Some people believe the announcement of earlier elections itself would help resolve it. It might, but I don't even know what would help now. What if Mr. Yanukovych was elected again?