OTTAWA — Former prime minister Stephen Harper has been awarded one of Ukraine's highest honours. Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko granted the Order of Liberty to Harper to mark the 25th anniversary of Ukraine's independence this week. Past recipients of the award, which recognizes contributions towards strengthening Ukraine's sovereignty, include top diplomats of NATO and the European Commission.

Stephen Harper appears in Ukraine on June 6, 2015. (Photo: Adrian Wyld/CP) Harper led the charge to have Russia booted out of the G8 following that country's annexation of Crimea in 2014. As prime minister, he also pledged millions in military trainers and other forms of aid to Ukraine, which was also one of the last countries he visited before last fall's election. Harper was not the only Canadian honoured by the Ukrainian government for their contributions this week — others included his fellow Conservative MP Jason Kenney, Liberal MP Borys Wrzesnewskyj and other members of the Ukrainian-Canadian community.

I am deeply honoured to be awarded Ukraine’s Order of Liberty by President Poroshenko. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/7KEYi1cXHq — Stephen Harper (@stephenharper) August 25, 2016

I look forward to the day when Ukraine’s freedom & territory are no longer threatened by the Putin regime. 2/2 — Stephen Harper (@stephenharper) August 25, 2016

We must continue to stand with the people of Ukraine 3/3 — Stephen Harper (@stephenharper) August 25, 2016