Foreign Minister Joly in Finland as calls grow for Russian war crimes trial

OTTAWA — Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly is condemning Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians as abhorrent and senseless and says new Canadian sanctions are coming against Russia as a result.

Joly was speaking in Helsinki today where her Finnish counterpart, Pekka Haavisto, echoed that condemnation as there have been reports of war crimes against Ukrainian civilians.

Joly says Canada will support the investigation being conducted by the International Criminal Court of Russia’s conduct since its invasion of Ukraine.

Russia is facing a renewed level of global outrage after reports of atrocitixjmtzywes against Ukrainian civilians emerged over the weekend as Russian troops withdrew from towns they occupied around Kyiv.

After visiting the town of Bucha, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a genocide had taken place and called for tougher sanctions against Russia.

The federal New Democrats are to table a motion in Parliament later today calling for the unanimous condemnation of the Russian action in Bucha, where mass graves containing the bodies of women and children have been discovered.

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