Harper lands in Kyiv to become first G7 leader to stand beside new regime

Stephen Harper has met with the new Ukrainian prime minister, the first G7 leader to visit Ukraine since pro-Western forces drove out its government and Russia annexed the strategic Crimea Peninsula in the country’s southern reaches.

Harper, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird and Justice Minister Peter MacKay sat down with Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk in the midst of the most serious crisis in eastern Europe since the Cold War.

Yatsenyuk effusively thanked Harper for his visit to the Cabinet of Ministers government building, while the prime minister, flanked by Baird and MacKay, assured him of Canada’s continued support.

Harper pointed out that Canada had long been a passionate supporter of Ukraine since the dismantling of the former Soviet Union.

During their tete-a-tete, he also gave Yatsenyuk the Ukrainian flag that flew on Parliament Hill during the uprising.

On a brilliantly warm and sunny day in Kyiv, Harper was also expected to visit nearby Independence Square. The square was the scene of months of pro-democracy protests that resulted in the deaths of dozens of Ukrainians.

During his day trip to Ukraine, Harper was also scheduled to meet with the country’s new president to reiterate Canada’s support of the country.

It’s a message aimed not just at Russia, but also at Harper’s fellow leaders in the Group of Seven nations in advance of an emergency G7 summit being held in The Hague on Monday on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit.

Harper will deliver a first-hand account of the situation in Ukraine to his colleagues and is expected to push them to take a tougher stand against Russia. Germany is of particular concern given that country’s close economic ties to Russia.

Harper’s visit to Kyiv comes during an extraordinarily tense time for eastern Europe amid fears that Russian President Vladimir Putin may be pondering flexing his muscles in other countries that were once part of the Soviet bloc.

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