Ukraine Pushes for Practical Outcomes at Canada‑Hosted Conference on Missing Citizens

During a high‑level trilateral session on August 23, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha briefed Norwegian and Canadian officials on the agenda for an international conference slated for Canada.

The core of the agenda is the safe return of Ukrainian children, civilian detainees and war captives. Sybiha highlighted that repatriation must be paired with rehabilitation programs to help returnees rebuild their lives and reconnect with families.

He also raised the issue of accountability, urging the imposition of focused sanctions on individuals and entities that facilitated unlawful arrests or forced transfers.

The minister used the platform to draw attention to a fresh ballistic missile assault on Kyiv, calling for urgent reinforcement of Ukraine’s air‑defence network. The conversation concluded with an analysis of the worsening security environment in the Black Sea, where Russia’s persistent strikes on ports and civilian vessels threaten global grain shipments. A unified international stance was advocated to keep the sea corridor operational.