The new Premier of Alberta said she made unwise comments about the Russian invasion of Ukraine before being elected leader of the United Conservative Party on October 6. Smith also added in a statement on social media: "My knowledge and opinion on this matter have evolved significantly since then, and I apologize for those previous comments," while Twitter comments on her post were closed. Also, in a live broadcast on Locals.com on April 29, Smith was asked about her thoughts on the "peace plan for Ukraine and Russia" and responded by giving a hypothetical scenario where Canada possesses nuclear weapons and is allied with Russia, and how that would upset the United States, saying: "So, why are we surprised if Russia is upset that Ukraine has nuclear weapons and is allied with the United States? I think the only answer for Ukraine is neutrality." In a post dated February 24, Smith also questioned whether Ukrainian regions should be allowed to secede and govern themselves independently if they wished, and suggested that Ukraine give up its nuclear weapons, which happened in the 1990s. Likewise, a board member of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation said Smith's comments "show a deep ignorance of history," and opposition critic Sarah Hoffman described her statements as "deaf" and "harsh." In addition, the Greek Communist Party held a party meeting in Sylvan Lake on Tuesday where many MLAs evaded questions about Smith's controversial comments. In the same vein, Finance Minister Jason Nixon said: "I think it’s fair to ask her for details about what she might or might not mean (regarding the war), so I won’t speak on behalf of the Premier," adding that he agrees with Smith on how to do that, i.e., supporting Ukraine. In her apology, Smith said she directed her staff "to engage with leaders of the Ukrainian community in Alberta" to find out what Alberta can do to help refugees settle in the province. Smith also issued a statement last week "to clarify" without apologizing for saying that unvaccinated Canadians are "the most discriminated group" she has seen in her life.