Canada recognized the independence of Ukraine on December 02, 1991, being at that time the first Western country and the second after Poland.

Diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Canada were established on January 27, 1992.

The Embassy of Canada in Ukraine has been functioning since April 1992. The Embassy of Ukraine in Canada was opened in November 1992 and the General Consulate of Ukraine in Toronto in March 1993.

The main principles and directions of relations between the two countries are fixed in «Joint Declaration on Special Partnership between Ukraine and Canada», signed on March 31, 1994 in Kyiv, and  «Joint Declaration on Continuing Development of the Special Partnership between Canada and Ukraine», signed on December 05, 2001 in Kyiv. Development of relations in the main spheres and areas of bilateral cooperation between the two countries are regulated by 45 intergovernmental and interdepartmental documents.

Before Ukraine proclaimed its independence, during a visit of Ukrainian delegation led by the Head of the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) of Ukraine Leonid Kravchuk to Canada on September 22, 1991 Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Anatoliy Zlenko and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada Barbara McDougall signed in Ottawa «Declaration on relations between Canada and Ukraine». The document says that «in determining the character and form of future relations between Ukraine and Canada they will respect a choice of the people of Ukraine made freely and democratically».

Development of relations in first years of Ukraine’s independence was characterized by active interstate dialogue, with a visit of Governor General of Canada of Ukrainian descent Ramon Hnatyshyn on September 28-October 01, 1992 having a symbolic place given that it became the first official visit of the Head of Canada to Ukraine. A significant meaning for Ukraine-Canada relations in further years had also the first State Visit of President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma to Canada on October 23-27, 1994 during which Agreement on Friendship and Cooperation between Ukraine and Canada was signed as well as exchange of visits of senior officials from Governments and Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the two countries. In particular, visits to Canada were paid by Prime Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Lazarenko (June 12-16, 1997), Ministers for Foreign Affairs Hennadiy Udovenko (March 04-07, 1997), Borys Tarasyuk (June 12-13, 2000), Anatoliy Zlenko (March 25-26, 2001). At the same time, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada Barbara McDougall visited Ukraine on January 27, 1992, her colleagues André Oullet – on March 29-April 01, 1994, Lloyd Axworthy – on October 23-24, 1996, John Manley – on December 04-05, 2001. Speaker of the Senate of the Parliament of Canada Gildas Molgat visited Ukraine on August 21-24, 1996. The first visit to Ukraine of Prime Minister of Canada Jean Chrétien took place on January 27-28, 1999.

The Orange Revolution in Ukraine caused a significant interest of the Canadian society and political circles. During an election campaign in November-December 2004 Canada sent the biggest in the history of the two countries Mission of observers more than 500 persons) headed by former Prime Minister of Canada John Turner. Governor General of Canada Adrienne Clarkson took part in Inaugural Ceremonies of the newly-elected President of Ukraine Victor Yushchenko on January 23, 2005. Democratic transformations in Ukraine facilitated the further intensification of political dialogue between the two countries. The Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and Canada renewed the practice of regular bilateral political consultations in 2005. In 2007 Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk visited Canada (May 06-08) and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada Peter G. MacKay visited Ukraine (July 17-19). A Statement of Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper made on April 18, 2007 became an additional evidence of the interest of Canada to develop a wide-range cooperation with Ukraine. He said that «no Western country has closer ties to Ukraine than Canada», which has always supported freedom and democracy for Ukraine. Prime Minister also stressed that «the Government of Canada will continue this tradition and will support Ukraine’s right to determine her own destiny, without interference from outside interests».

A State Visit of President of Ukraine V.Yushchenko to Canada on May 26-29, 2008 became a symbolic event in development of bilateral relations. Ukraine’s President Address to the Joint Session of the House of Commons and the Senate of the Parliament of Canada was an evidence of high level relations and partnership between the two states. Official recognition by Canada of Holodomor 1932-1933 in Ukraine as Genocide against the people of Ukraine which was fixed in the respective legal act on May 29, 2008 became one of the results of President Yushchenko visit to Canada.

Political consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and Canada held on October 31, 2008 in Ottawa continued an active dialogue on the issues of bilateral cooperation and international agenda. Another form of bilateral consultations remain to be Ukraine-Canada Strategic seminars on global and regional security issues with participation of representatives of Foreign Affairs and Defence Ministries.

Preserving the positive dynamics of the bilateral dialogue, Governor General of Canada Michaëlle Jean paid a State visit to Ukraine upon invitation of V.Yushchenko on April 22-27, 2009. Negotiations proved friendly and partnership relations between the two states and their joint readiness to further deepen them, active Canada's support of foreign policy priorities of Ukraine as well as its national security and sovereignty. Governor General of Canada said that her country continues supporting all the initiatives realized by Ukraine to strengthen Ukrainian self-reliance and independence. As she said, welfare and prosperity of Ukraine are important for Canada. M.Jean also noted that Canada is "home to the largest Ukrainian population in the world outside of Ukraine and Russia", and that Canada will always remember the contribution that Ukrainian community made to the development of every sector of the Canadian society. According to the 2006 Census of Canada Ukrainian community constitutes 1,209,085 (3.87% of the total population of Canada) and is the 7^th largest national minority of Canada

Canada expresses its strong support for Ukraine’s intentions to become member of NATO. In particular, during the NATO Bucharest Summit in April 2008 Prime Minister of Canada Harper said that through its actions at home and abroad, Ukraine had demonstrated that it shares the values of NATO. He also reassured that Canada will do everything in its power to help Ukraine realize aspirations for greater freedom, democracy and prosperity as long as the country keeps making progress on democratic reform and opening up its economy. On the eve of the Summit Canada became one of the co-authors of a letter of a number of NATO Allies addressed to their partners with an appeal to support Ukraine’s accession to Membership Action Plan. During the visit to Ukraine Governor General of Canada M.Jean once again expressed her country’s unconditional support of Ukraine’s course towards membership in NATO.

Interaction of the two countries within the framework of the UN and other international organizations is held in a constructive and partnership way. Canada made a strong political and technical support to Ukraine in its joining to the WTO. An essential contribution to this process was made by Chair of the Working Party on the Accession of Ukraine to the WTO, representative of Canada, Sergio Marchi. Canada was among the first countries that signed a Bilateral Protocol on Mutual Access to Markets of Goods and Services with Ukraine (February 20, 2002). It is also necessary to note Canada’s support for Ukraine’s candidacy during elections to the UN Human Rights Council in May 2008. Besides, in October 2007 Canada joined the UNESCO General Conference Resolution and on November 30, 2007 – the Joint Statement of the OSCE Council of Ministers meeting regarding commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of Remembrance of Victims of Holodomor of 1932-1933 in Ukraine. Canada also became co-author of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly on Holodomor (July 03, 2008) and of the Declaration on the 75^th Anniversary of Holodomor, circulated as United Nations General Assembly document (December, 2008).

In March 2008 Ukrainian and Canadian businesses renewed the practice of bilateral business forums aimed at intensification of trade and economic cooperation. As participants of forums say such activities promote preservation of positive tendencies of the recent years in growing trade between Ukraine and Canada which was nearly 560 mln. USD in 2008.

Ukraine is in the list of 20 priority countries for Canadian technical assistance programs realized through the Canadian International Development Agency. Starting from 1991 the Government of Canada provided Ukraine with more than 350 mln. CAD to support Ukraine’s efforts in building democratic society and market economy, resolving social and ecological problems, and deepening the existing political and economic ties between the two states.

Canada is actively promoting consolidation of the international community efforts to tackle problems in addressing the consequences of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant catastrophe and its shutting down. The Canada’s overall contribution into realization of the projects linked with overcoming the consequences of the Chornobyl catastrophe is 85 mln. CAD.

Since Ukraine joined the Initiative «Global Partnership against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction» in 2004 Canada has been providing its assistance to make the state border of Ukraine safe from trafficking in illicit nuclear materials. In particular, on January 22, 2009 the Government of Canada made a decision to contribute 4 mln. USD for the installation of radiation-detection equipment at key border crossings in Ukraine. Besides, on March 28, 2009 Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada announced his country’s decision to contribute 4 mln. dol. to the Nuclear Security Fund of the International Atomic Energy Agency to increase capacities of the Border Guard Services of post-soviet countries, particularly Ukraine, in fighting trafficking in illicit nuclear and other radioactive materials within the framework of the mentioned Initiative.

One of the key elements of the bilateral cooperation in the military sphere is participation of Ukraine since 1993 in the Canadian Military Training Assistance Program (MTAP) aimed at linguistic and professional training of specialists for participation in peacekeeping operations. Canada has provided 899 training seats for Ukrainian militaries. Ukraine takes the second place in the list of the countries representatives of which are participating in the abovementioned program.

In 2009 upon invitation of the Canadian side for the first time Ukraine is taking part in international training course «Public Affairs for Officers of the Ministry of Defence» in Ottawa (for a long time the Department of National Defence of Canada has been training Public Affairs Officers only for its Forces).

Deepening interregional cooperation in economic, scientific and technological, cultural and humanitarian spheres is an effective instrument of development of Ukraine-Canada relations. Saskatchewan Premier Roy Romanov visited Ukraine on October 02-07, 1995, Manitoba Premier Gary Filmon – on October 04-09, 1997, Alberta Premier Ralph Klein – on May 18-22, 2002. At the same time, Governor of the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional State Administration Mykhaylo Vyshyvanyuk visited Canada on August 07-12, 2004 and Governor of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration Victor Bondar – on May 26-29, 2008. Among bilateral documents a special attention should be paid to Memorandum on cooperation between Ukraine and the Province of Saskatchewan, signed on October 02, 1995, and Memorandum of Understanding between the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration and the Province of Manitoba, signed on May 27, 2008.

Cultural and humanitarian cooperation and in particular maintaining ties with the Ukrainian community of Canada take a special place in bilateral relations.

There are more than 1000 ethnic Ukrainian public organizations and communities in Canada, majority of which is united in the organization Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC), formed in 1940. UCC represents the biggest part of Ukrainian Canadian community before State institutions and media. Headquarters of the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) and the World Federation of Ukrainian Women's Organizations (WFUWO) are located in Canada.

Supporting preservation of national, cultural and ethnic identity, meeting language, educational and information needs of Ukrainian Canadians as well as actively involving Ukrainian organizations in Canada into the processes of democratic development of their historic Homeland – Ukraine constitute priorities of bilateral relations on this path.

Public awareness campaign on Holodomor of 1932-1933 as genocide against the people of Ukraine is one of the main tasks of the Ukrainian community in Canada in 2008-2010. With this aim the International Holodomor Remembrance Flame travelled through 17 Canadian cities in 2008. President of UCC Pavlo Grod took part in International Forum on Commemoration of the 75^th Anniversary of Holodomor of 1932-1933 in Ukraine which was held on November 21-22, 2008 in Kyiv.

Besides the federal Act of Canada establishing a Ukrainian Famine and Genocide ("Holodomor") Memorial Day the same bills were adopted in Saskatchewan (May 07, 2008), Alberta (October 30, 2008) and Ontario (April 09, 2009). Today all the interested parties are working on advancing in the Legislative Assemblies of Quebec and Manitoba draft bills to establish the Ukrainian Famine and Genocide ("Holodomor") Memorial Day. Another ongoing initiative which is backed by the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory is including the Permanent exhibit dealing with the Holodomor Genocide of 1932–33 at the National Museum for Human Rights which is planned to be opened in 2010 in Winnipeg.