Canadian delegation heading to Ukraine amid growing tensions, concerns about Russian intervention

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird will be leading a Canadian delegation to Ukraine later today in the midst of growing anxiety in the east European nation.

In an interview with CBC News, Conservative MP Ted Opitz, who will be travelling with Baird, said the purpose of the trip is to show support and to provide guidance to the new transitional government.

"The fact that Canada is acting to send a high level delegation led by the Honourable John Baird, to the Ukraine, I think says a great deal about our commitment to Ukraine, our commitment to the people of Ukraine," he said.

"What we're going to do is talk to the transitional government about their goals and how they intend to strengthen their democratic institutions."

Opitz was coy about what tangible support Canada may offer.

[ Related: Justin Trudeau apologizes for his quip about Ukraine ]

In a media scrum, on Wednesday, Liberal leader Justin Trudeau said no Liberals were invited to join Baird and Opitz in Ukraine.

"I worry that the partisan approach that this government has taken on this particular mission might highlight that it is about domestic politics," he told reporters.

"Unfortunately this government has a pattern of using Foreign Affairs for domestic political advancement and I'm disappointed that we continue to do that with this."

At their convention last weekend, the Liberal Party passed an emergency resolution asking the Canadian government to send 500 Canadian observers to oversee the May election and to call upon the International Monetary Fund to provide the new Ukrainian government with economic support.

[ Related: Alarm in Ukraine as Putin puts Russian troops on alert ]

While the violence on the streets of Kiev has subsided, the 'Conservative' delegation will arrive in a country which remains in crisis.

On Wednesday, violence between pro and anti-Russian demonstrators erupted in the western region of Crimea while news outlets continued to report that the Ukrainian economy is on the brink of bankruptcy.

Anxiety levels are also rising — around the world — as Russian President Vladimir Putin placed troops in Western Russia on high alert and ordered military exercises.

That action resulted in a response by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.

"I think Russia needs to be very careful in the judgments that it makes going forward here," he told NBC news.

"We are not looking for confrontation. But we are making it clear that every country should respect the territorial integrity here, the sovereignty of Ukraine. Russia has said it would do that and we think it's important that Russia keeps its word."

Baird's office had a more muted response.

"We think all countries should be working together in the pursuit of unity, freedom and democracy for the Ukrainian people," Baird's press secretary Adam Hodge said in an email to Yahoo Canada News.

Canada's Parliament will convene Wednesday evening for an emergency take-note debate on the situation in Ukraine.

(Photo courtesy of Reuters)

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