Canadians warned not to travel to Ukraine now

The government of Canada has elevated the risk level for travel to Ukraine over the weekend, citing “ongoing Russian aggression and military buildup in and round the country” as the reason behind the update.

Canadian citizens were warned against any non-essential travel to Ukraine in a new travel advisory due to “Russian aggression” in the area.

Canadian travel advisory comes not long after the American government urged US citizens to “reconsider travel [to Ukraine] due to increased threats from Russia” in its own travel advisory from December, citing reports that Moscow was “planning for significant military action against Ukraine.”

Multiple Western officials and media outlets have warned in recent months of a potential invasion of Ukraine by Russia, that amassed over 100,000 troops near Ukrainian border.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said this week that Russia is “laying the groundwork” for an invasion.

In a statement on Sunday, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly announced she would be visiting Ukraine this week to discuss ways to deter potential “aggressive actions” by Russia.

The Kremlin, that sees independent, pro-West Ukraine as an anathema to its neo-imperial ambitions, has denied that it’s planning an invasion, insisting that the movement of its troops near Ukrainian border is a “sovereign matter.”

Though, in an interview on Sunday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declared that Moscow “reserves the right” to “respond” to future NATO deployments.