Embassy of Germany in Canada

1 Waverley St, Ottawa, ON K2P 0T8

RE: Trade with Russia

Dear Madam Ambassador Sparwasser,

We, Ukrainian activists in Ottawa, are bringing to you today an issue that our fellow colleagues in Europe have been relentlessly fighting for since the beginning of Russia’s renewed invasion of Ukraine.

We call on the European Union, the German Government, our mutual friends from Europe and the business elite to immediately cease all trade with the aggressor, to impose an embargo on all goods transported through the Eastern border of the EU to the territory of Russia. We demand the shutdown of the flow of goods, in particular dual-purpose goods used to fuel the war, to Russia and its satellites. Any trade is only emboldening the Russian regime, spreading terror and killing innocent citizens in a free and sovereign country. The Eastern border of the EU should be immediately closed to trade with Russia and Belarus.

Germany, in particular, should immediately cease the export of dual-use goods to Russia; it should stop issuing export licenses for dual-use products. There is growing evidence that dual-use products are exported through third countries or intermediaries under the guise of being used for peaceful purposes. They are then reassembled or repurposed for military use. By exporting dual-use goods, Germany is directly financing and enabling Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has taken a toll on the lives of thousands of civilians, including 150 children. 

As the war goes on, Russian trucks continue to cross the EU border in both directions, and these deliveries continue to support the regime that is killing peaceful citizens. We demand an immediate cessation of these deliveries.

Knowing that closing the border poses certain problems for European business, employees, and suppliers, we believe that the costs of its closure should be covered by common efforts of the EU governments, the US government, and international institutions.

Compensation for companies and their employees in Europe and Russia is imperative to support affected individuals and families but also to minimize any risk of further popularizing anti-European sentiment in Russia’s propaganda. 

The war in Ukraine, a brutal attack on an independent country by an aggressive neighbour, is a moment in history that weighs heavily on the fate of many nations and countries, and for generations at that. It weighs on the fate of our European civilization, and how we behave now will be a marker of our dignity forever.

At times like these, there is no business as usual. It is time for solidarity and accountability. It's high time for action! 

Sincerely,