Damning With Faint Praise

"I don't want to make your government's life harder, and I've heard rumours that another package is on the way. You're right, [question of delays in delivering aid] it's taken too long, but that's the nature of bureaucracy in a peaceful nation; you have procedures."
"But being at war, people are dying. We're thankful for your help, but you have to be sure people will be alive to receive the help. So when I was told there are procedures, clauses, lawyers working on it, I said: 'Seriously? We know that you're helping -- can you please do it a bit faster? Look at CNN or BBC; people are dying right now."
"I'm sure people will think I'm now being diplomatic, but I do appreciate all the help Canada has given."
Ukraine Ambassador to Canada Vadym Prystaiko

Vadym Prystaiko, the outgoing Ukrainian ambassador to Canada, is disappointed Stephen Harper's government sent its CF-18s to fight ISIS but refused military support for Ukraine during its time of crisis. Prystaiko and Harper are shown here during a joint photo call in the early days of the crisis in March. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)

Ambassador Prystaiko speaks in an interview with a local newspaper publishing in Canada's capital of his very keen appreciation on behalf of his country, for the support that Canada has given Ukraine in its trials and tribulations, fighting both a subversive, covert war with Russia and a very overt war with Russian-speaking citizens whose loyalty is foremost with Russia and not with the government in Kyiv. That Moscow has been training, arming and sending troops under cover to aid the secessionists is an open secret.

He mentions how gratifying it was, as a diplomat himself, to see Canada's diplomats and its Prime Minister and ministers of the Cabinet speak out loudly in Ukraine's defence, openly criticizing Moscow and in particular Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Although he makes no mention of the fact that Canada can boast one of the world's largest expatriate demographics of Canadians of Ukrainian descent, he does mention support Ukraine received from Saskatchewan and British Columbia.

And as well his personal appreciation that many Canadian companies have stepped forward to offer their own assistance, whether equipment or food surpluses. When Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko came to Ottawa in September on an official visit to meet at length with Prime Minister Stephen Harper, he received heartfelt reassurances that Ottawa fully supported Ukraine in its existential mission to ward off Russian aggression and the effects of Moscow's incitement to rebellion.

But his request for Canada to supply combat gear or weapons to help Ukraine in its conflict was respectfully set aside, with the Prime Minister repeating that Canada is prepared to offer non-lethal aid to the country, in its need. Any combat type of missions and materiel would be supplied to and through NATO. President Poroshenko left, grateful for Canada's support such as it was, yet disappointed that his request for military equipment had been denied.

At one juncture, in an earlier interview, Ambassador Prystaiko, who is preparing to vacate his office as ambassador in Ottawa to move on elsewhere through diplomatic rotation, openly criticized the Government of Canada for its slow release of the promised assistance to Ukraine. In this later interview he reiterated his criticism, leavening it with praise and if that seemed a problem, well so be it, this was the reality as he saw it.

Asked if he feared that Moscow would advance a more serious invasion he responded: "He's [Vladimir Putin] reminding people he has nuclear arms. Now the Russians have taken Crimea. They're 70 kilometres into eastern Ukraine, fighting during ceasefires. I have to ask what would have happened if we still had these [Soviet Union nuclear weapons held by Ukraine, signed away with the 1994 Budapest Memorandum] nuclear weapons.

"When you don't respect international agreements, when you don't have a political will you can't have progress. Look at Iran, Israel or North Korea. Those people have nuclear weapons, so why would they give it up now for a piece of paper?"

Pardon? Equating Israel with Iran and North Korea? When was the last time that Israel threatened world order by stating boldly and baldly that it intended to destroy another country? Are Iran and North Korea stalwart allies of the West, representing the sole true liberal democracies in their parts of the world? Do they honour their citizens in a pluralistic society where everyone is treated equally under the law? Just asking, mind.

And recalling that Vladimir Putin kept referring to Ukraine's tradition of anti-Semitism, and how amusing that seemed coming from a country where it is truly well entrenched. Such sentiments have an unfortunate way of trickling through even polite conversations, unfortunately.