WARSAW, POLAND --
As Kate Kliuchnyk and her mom, Yuliia, contemplated the subsequent chapter of their lives within the crisp sunshine outdoors Warsaw's Central Station on Thursday morning, a quick smile flashed throughout their faces.
"We actually hope that all the things can be good, that we'll come house," stated Kate, 19, who fled her house in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest metropolis, with two youthful sisters, her mom and Marley, their gray and white husky.
Talking in flippantly accented English, she stated it was like being on a "mini journey. Possibly it is a good alternative to see Europe, to see different nations."
Her mom stated it was a good suggestion to remain optimistic. "In different approach, we'll be very unhappy. And that will not change nothing."
As the ladies launched into a brand new path in a brand new land -- with out Kate's father, who stayed behind -- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Poland's leaders and in addition managed to cross paths with U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris.
Polish President Andrzej Duda informed Trudeau that 100,000 persons are fleeing Ukraine into Poland every single day, swelling his inhabitants by 1.5 million refugees. Many are being housed by native Polish residents, whereas 500,000 Ukrainian refugees have fled to different nations in Europe as nicely.
Duda and Trudeau lambasted Russian President Vladimir Putin for an invasion that has unleashed the worst carnage on Europe because the Second World Warfare, killing at the very least 500 civilians if no more, in line with United Nations estimates.
On Wednesday, an airstrike on a maternity hospital within the port metropolis of Mariupol injured pregnant girls and left youngsters buried within the rubble.
Duda stated Poland will assist accumulate proof of conflict crimes so Putin and different Russians can face a authorized reckoning earlier than the Worldwide Prison Court docket.
"That is genocide," he stated in Polish.
"If somebody bombs maternity hospitals stuffed with pregnant girls, if somebody shells residential areas the place there aren't any army amenities, these are conflict crimes and that is genocide."
Trudeau condemned the invasion and was agency in his perception that Putin made a grave mistake when he invaded Ukraine.
"He will lose this conflict as a result of the ferocity and energy and resolve of the Ukrainian individuals defending their territory is inspiring us all."
It might seem that Yuliia Kliuchnyk's husband could also be one in every of them.
"Males are usually not allowed to depart the nation in the meanwhile," she stated.
Kate stated she talks by telephone together with her father every single day.
Duda stated Canada was the one nation that supplied assist to Poland to handle a refugee disaster earlier than Russia launched its "barbaric, unprovoked" invasion of Ukraine.
He described talking on the telephone with Trudeau on Feb. 13, when he stated the prime minister informed him if Russia did invade, Canada would help Poland if wanted.
As nightfall fell on the Polish capital, Trudeau got here head to head with the disaster when he spent about half an hour with greater than a dozen refugees in a crammed room in a hostel in downtown Warsaw. It was full of about 15 refugees from 5 households -- all girls excluding one grey-haired man.
He reached out to clutch a blond toddler after he wandered in entrance of Trudeau and his entourage of ministers. The officers sat towards one wall going through the masked group of refugees, a toy orange cement mixer at their ft.
"I simply wish to inform you that we're watching what's occurring in Ukraine each single day from around the globe," Trudeau stated.
"And we're all standing with you and all of us need this to be over as (quickly) as doable. And to get your nation again and to help your courageous husbands and brothers and buddies who're staying again to ensure that Vladimir Putin does not win. However it is advisable to know that the West can be there for you as nicely."
With Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland serving as his translator, Trudeau listened as among the refugees relayed their experiences. After listening to one of many girls communicate, Trudeau was near tears.
Canadians could quickly get to listen to straight from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has agreed to handle Parliament subsequent Tuesday at 11:15 a.m. jap time.
"The individuals of Ukraine have proven large braveness in defending their nation towards the unjustifiable army invasion by Russia's Vladimir Putin," authorities Home chief Mark Holland wrote to Home of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota on Thursday as he sought his approval to permit the tackle to go forward whereas the Home and Senate are on a two-week break.
"This could be a possibility for Canadians to listen to straight from President Zelenskyy concerning the pressing and dire state of affairs going through the individuals of Ukraine."
Trudeau, Rota, Senate Speaker George Furey, interim Conservative chief Candice Bergen, Bloc Quebecois Chief Yves-Francois Blanchet, NDP Chief Jagmeet Singh and a member of the Inexperienced Social gathering would additionally communicate.
In Berlin on Wednesday, Freeland stated Canada started planning its response to a European refugee disaster late final yr, as Putin started deploying greater than 100,000 Russian troopers and army gear to Ukraine's borders.
"We known as it the 'God forbid' state of affairs," Freeland stated.
Trudeau additionally met for an hour on Thursday night with the American vice-president, who was additionally in Warsaw, for a dialogue about how the 2 North American neighbours might assist their European allies cope with their safety and humanitarian wants.
"We stand in solidarity by way of our outrage," Harris informed Trudeau earlier than the assembly. Trudeau in flip praised her and the Biden administration for main "like-minded nations to organize for this chance of the unthinkable, of Russia invading Ukraine."
The USA additionally raised fears this week that Putin will unleash chemical weapons within the conflict, which Trudeau and Duda stated can be met with the harshest of penalties.
"Putin must know that the implications for his actions already can be extreme, and additional escalations by him, additional concentrating on of civilians, additional use of problematic methods to kill civilians, goes to be met with the severest of responses each globally and individually on him," Trudeau stated.
Trudeau stated Canada goes to triple the matching fund for Ukrainian reduction donations made to the Canadian Crimson Cross, from $10 million to $30 million.
Canada is expediting refugee purposes filed earlier than the conflict started and prioritizing Ukrainians making use of to come back to Canada by different streams.
It's also creating an emergency journey stream for Ukrainians that eliminates most of the regular visa necessities and, in the event that they go a safety verify, permits individuals to work or attend college in Canada for at the very least two years.
Immigration Minister Sean Fraser's workplace stated Thursday the federal government is on observe to launch the brand new stream March 17. There isn't any agency date for when a brand new reunification program for Ukrainians with household in Canada who want to come and stay right here completely will get off the bottom.
Trudeau introduced $117 million Thursday to assist with these efforts.
Trudeau wouldn't say whether or not Canada would think about eliminating the visa altogether throughout a information convention with Duda on Thursday.
"We'll proceed to step up and do extra on bringing in refugees to Canada as rapidly as doable. Our hearts break for the horrible scenes that we have seen, individuals fleeing for his or her lives, forsaking all of them their worldly possessions, trying to be protected."
Kate Kliuchnyk stated the Ukrainian individuals want the help of the world.
"I actually hope that the conflict will finish and that our nation can be supported by different nations. It actually issues now," she stated.
"We heard about Canada, nevertheless it's distant from our house. So we got here to Poland, 'trigger it is close to our nation."
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed March 10, 2022.
-- With information from Laura Osman in Ottawa.
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