OTTAWA, Ontario, Feb. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On the eve of the 4th anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) calls on the Government of Canada to match, dollar-for-dollar, all private donations to CUF in 2026 to support its work in humanitarian assistance for Ukraine.
CUF announced today that since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, it has surpassed more than $100 million CAD in funds raised and deployed for humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.
Funds raised in Canada through the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, a joint initiative of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, have been deployed to date to support a broad range of humanitarian projects, including:
- Food and water for displaced Ukrainians
- Hygiene kits and blankets for refugees
- Medical equipment
- Home heating equipment
- Power generators
- Surgical missions with Canadian reconstructive physicians
- Support to hospitals and medical infrastructure bombed by Russia
- Civilian demining
- Psychological and trauma support
Quotations
“Recovery doesn’t start after a ceasefire. It is an ongoing process. Today. Every day. It can’t wait for the war to end.”
Andrew Maleckyj, Chair of the Board of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation
“This war is a systematic violation of humans’ rights to live peacefully, speak their own language, go to school, run their business, enjoy their own culture and come home to their kids, safely and alive. It is a brutal attempt at ethnocide on a scale we have not seen in the West since the Second World War.”
Valeriy Kostyuk, Executive Director of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation
“Russia’s bombing of Ukrainian energy infrastructure is forcing hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians to live without heat, electricity or water in the coldest winter on record. Russian terror against Ukrainian civilians must be met with a strong response from world leaders.”
Alexandra Chyczij, National President, UCC
“The Ukrainian Canadian community expresses its solidarity and admiration for the courageous Ukrainian Armed Forces, who bravely defend their country and Ukrainian First Responders who work around the clock to restore power to Ukrainian cities. The severe humanitarian crisis caused by Russian bombing of Ukrainian civilians has created urgent needs to which the community here is working hard to respond.”
Ihor Michalchyshyn, UCC CEO and Executive Director
“The destiny of democracy is unfolding on the battlefields of Ukraine. Supporting Ukraine is not an act of charity – or even just an act of solidarity. It’s enlightened self-interest. This war either stops in Ukraine, or it spreads deeper into Europe or over the Arctic. The sooner Russia is stopped, the lower the cost – in both lives and money.”
Ihor Michalchyshyn, UCC CEO and Executive Director
“If average Canadians have been investing their own hard-earned after-tax dollars in supporting Ukraine – in the midst of an affordability crisis – we are asking the Government of Canada to do the same and match Canadians’ efforts, dollar-for-dollar, to the Canada-Ukraine Foundation in 2026.”
Valeriy Kostyuk, Executive Director of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation
“Canada has become home for me since the full-scale invasion, but all my family is in Ukraine. This winter I went back for Christmas and a few days after I arrived nine missiles deliberately targeted the power plant in my city – there was not any heat, no light, no water and children knocked on our door begging for a cup of hot tea.”
Marichka Bokovnia, displaced Ukrainian and documentary producer
“It’s one thing to prepare for war, it’s another to wake up to it. I was studying political science when my city was attacked and my hopes and dreams were shattered. From one day to the next, the wars I was learning about became a reality and my life took a completely different path. I am grateful to Canada for giving me a place to live and study in safety – but I will never take that safety for granted.”
Sofiia Ringis, displaced Ukrainian and Ottawa-based student
Quick Facts
- The Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal was launched in January 2022 as a joint initiative by the Canada-Ukraine Foundation and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress in anticipation of massive humanitarian assistance need in the event Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
- The Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal is managed by the Canada-Ukraine Foundation. Within four days of the full-scale invasion on February 24th, 2022, the Canada-Ukraine Foundation started to deploy critical humanitarian supplies into Ukraine to help civilians impacted by Russia’s war.
- Over the four years since the launch of Russia’s full-scale invasion against Ukraine, CUF has raised and deployed more than $100 million in humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.
- The majority of these funds have been raised from Canadians at-large, with no ancestral link to Ukraine, demonstrating broad public support for assistance to Ukraine.
- The Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal has supported more than seven million people through over 400 projects implemented with partners on the ground in Ukraine.
- The Canada-Ukraine Foundation is a registered charity under the laws of Canada and has been operating since 1995.
Links
Media resources available for download: https://www.cufoundation.ca/media-resources
A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/98537ea4-8a97-4275-8d9a-23324864408d
