Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said Canada will assist in investigating sexual violence committed by Russian forces against women and girls in Ukraine.

Speaking in Ottawa after talks with Ann Linde, the Swedish Foreign Minister, Joly said that Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers helping investigate war crimes in Ukraine will assist in gathering evidence of rape and sexual violence by the Russian army.

Joly said Canada has provided 10 Canadian police officers to help collect evidence of potential war crimes in Ukraine that can be used in a case before the International Criminal Court.

She said she believes there is "strong evidence of genocide" against the Ukrainian people by Russia. Canadian MPs have already symbolically voted to consider Russia's targeting of Ukrainian civilians as genocide.

The two foreign ministers expressed concern that Russia is using sexual violence against women as a weapon of war in Ukraine, saying such crimes must be highlighted.

They said specialized support is needed for Ukrainian women and girls fleeing to neighboring countries who may have been raped and abused by the invading forces.

Linde said Sweden has been at the forefront of investigating war crimes against civilians, including sexual violence against women.

She has already sent "experts in investigating sexual crimes" to assist the International Criminal Court in investigating war crimes.

They are conducting interviews with refugees, "mainly women, girls, and children" as witnesses. Speaking after talks with her Swedish counterpart, Joly reiterated Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's support for Sweden joining NATO.

Linde said Sweden wants "security guarantees" from other NATO countries if it applies for membership in the military alliance, in case of retaliatory actions from Russia for choosing to join.

She said Russia is already engaged in disinformation campaigns, including labeling prominent figures in Sweden as Nazis. Earlier this week, Ukraine's ambassador to Canada said Russia must be held accountable for its soldiers committing sexual crimes, including against children.

Yulia Kovaliv told members of Parliament in a Commons committee that Russia uses sexual violence as a weapon in the war. She said Ukraine is collecting "horrifying documented evidence" of war crimes, including sexual crimes committed by Russian soldiers.

Kovaliv said, "The frightening thing is that children are victims of these sexual crimes, which are committed (in front of) their parents' eyes."