• A pro-Ukraine campaign will get advice on the purchase of protective gear for Ukrainian defence forces from a panel of retired military officials.
• The panel includes former Dutch defence minister Dick Lodewijk Berlijn and former NATO commander Wesley Clark, and former commander of American forces in Afghanistan David Petraeus.

Reuters, July 19, 2018 – A pro-Ukraine campaign will get advice on the purchase of protective gear for Ukrainian defence forces from a panel of retired military officials from the US, Canada, and the Netherlands, a Canada-based charity organisation announced on Tuesday.

According to the Ukrainian World Congress, the panel of four comprises former Dutch defence minister Dick Lodewijk Berlijn, former NATO commander Wesley Clark, and former commander of American forces in Afghanistan David Petraeus (UWC).

Rick Hillier, a retired Canadian Chief of Defense Staff, serves as the panel’s chair.

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The UWC said in a statement that it will concentrate on assisting in the delivery of protective equipment, such as helmets, body armour, ballistic goggles, and medical kits, to Ukraine’s territorial defence force.

At a press conference, Hillier stated, “We can help them win this battle if we can help deliver them (the Ukrainian defence forces) the equipment from the West.”

The West has united to help Ukraine with military and humanitarian aid in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which it describes as a “special military operation” to defend its own security. The invasion has resulted in widespread sanctions against Moscow.

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The UWC effort has so far gathered enough money to procure and distribute $24 million worth of protective gear, including the largest non-governmental delivery of Israeli Bandages, which are used to stem bleeding from traumatic injuries, and gas masks.

The organisation, which speaks for all Ukrainians worldwide, has also asked a court to challenge Canada’s decision to give Germany a turbine it needs for the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline. View More

One of the largest Ukrainian diasporas outside of countries bordering Ukraine exists in Canada, and the group has been effective in pressuring Ottawa to impose more stringent sanctions against Russia.