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Update from Chrystia Freeland in Ukraine

Like Canada, Ukraine is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural country, and it was important for me to speak to some of the leaders of the country’s minority communities.

I talked to Rabbi Yaakov Bleich, chief rabbi of Ukraine and Kyiv, over a delicious kosher lunch at the Serebro restaurant (he had pizza, I had spaghetti arrabiata). Rabbi Bleich is a very well-known leader in Ukraine – he has been working in the country for more than two decades. I was also pleased to learn he has strong connections to Canada’s Jewish and Ukrainian communities.

Rabbi Bleich told me: “ethnicity didn’t play a role on the maidan and it doesn’t now, and I think that is very nice. The Jewish leaders I’ve spoken to, including rabbis and community leaders of eastern regions, all say it is important for Ukraine to remain united.” Rabbi Bleich said that three Jews died fighting for the maidan, that there was a Jewish “sotnya”, or hundred, the name for the self-defence units, and that an IDF veteran led one of the sotnyas.

(In between making important political points, Rabbi Bleich showed off his terrific cufflinks, which combine the Star of David with the Ukrainian trident. Rabbi Bleich designed them himself. I asked him to come up with something similar for women, and promised to wear whatever he creates!)

I also sought out a leader of the Crimean Tatars. The Tatars have the strongest historical claim to the Crimean peninsula. Having been deported in the Soviet era to Central Asia, they are particularly troubled by the Russian occupation.

“We wanted our country to be integrated with Europe and not a colony of Russia,” Mustafa Dzhemeliev, a member of the Ukrainian parliament and Tatar leader, told me.

Dzhemiliev said his community’s women had been defending Ukrainian troops blockaded by Russian forces in Crimea, bringing them food, bearing Ukrainian flags and chanting, “Russians go home.”

“We are afraid Russia might punish the Crimean Tatars,” Dzhemiliev told me, recalling Stalin’s deportation of the community to Central Asia. “We have no reason to believe that if Crimea is part of Russia it will be better for us; we’ve been there before.”

I told Dzhemiliev about the Chechen community in my riding – which suffered a similar fate under Soviet rule – that is following events in Ukraine closely.

Chrystia Freeland

MP, Toronto Centre

Follow Chrystia on Twitter for updates on her fact-finding mission in Ukraine.

Chrystia with Rabbi Yaakov Bleich, chief rabbi of Ukraine and Kyiv

Rabbi Bleich’s cufflinks, which combine the Star of David with the Ukrainian trident

Chrystia with Mustafa Dzhemeliev, member of the Ukrainian parliament and Tatar leader

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Chrystia Freeland in Ukraine

It has been an honour to spend a few days here in Kyiv to show Canada’s solidarity with the people of Ukraine. Kyiv is tired, sad, and worried – but it is also friendlier and prouder than it has ever been in the 33 years I have been visiting and sometimes working and studying in this city. The Ukrainian capital, and the country that follows its lead, is keeping calm and carrying on.

Seeing this revolution first-hand, I’ve been struck by the extent to which these protests have been about asserting human dignity in the face of what had been a corrupt, anti-democratic, and ultimately murderous regime. You can get a flavour of what I mean from a document called “The Ten Commandments of New Ukraine,” which is all the buzz at the moment and is meant to guide the behaviour of Ukrainians now that their uprising has succeeded. Its first instruction is “don’t pay or accept bribes”; others are to be tidy, help others, respect others, and to take personal responsibility.

I’ve been delighted to learn how significant Canada’s voice is here, and how grateful people are for our collective backing. The image of the Ukrainian flag flying over the House of Commons has been repeatedly broadcast on Ukrainian television. Vitaly Klitchko, an opposition leader and a leading candidate in the May presidential elections, thanked me for Canada’s support across party lines for measures like travel bans and sanctions against criminal Ukrainian officials. He said we had set an important precedent for our G-7 allies.

I have also heard a lot of praise for our brave and dedicated diplomats on the ground here. They are working extremely hard in tense and difficult circumstances and all of us should be grateful to them. (Our ambassador, Troy Lulashnyk, even found the time to meet me at the airport, which was very kind.) You are making us all proud! Thank you, merci, and diakuiu!

Chrystia Freeland

MP, Toronto Centre

Follow Chrystia on Twitter for updates on her fact-finding mission in Ukraine.

Chrystia laying flowers in Kyiv at renamed “Street of the Heavenly Hundred”, honouring those who died during protests.

Chrystia with Vitaly Klitchko, Leader of Udar and candidate in upcoming presidential elections.

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