Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland reportedly said Saturday that Canada’s difficult decision last week to send repaired parts of a Russian natural gas pipeline back to Germany was the right decision.
But on the other hand, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned Canada’s decision as unacceptable as he thought the decision on the exception to sanctions will be perceived in Moscow as a sign of weakness adding that at this most critical moment Russia will try to limit or shut down gas supplies to Europe.
Speaking to reporters in a teleconference after a meeting of G20 finance ministers in Bali, Indonesia, Freeland said Canada has led the way in many aspects to support Ukraine and oppose Russian President Vladimir Putin
She also said that Canada has contributed $3.4 billion in total financial and military support adding that Canada alone cannot provide Ukraine with the support it needs as a united effort on the part of Canada’s fellow G7 members and the transatlantic alliance is necessary to ensure that support.
Freeland said that Canada heard very clearly from its German allies that Germany’s ability to sustain its support for Ukraine could be at risk, as the United States has also publicly backed Canada’s decision to return the turbines, a position Freeland described as very significant.
Senior Liberal ministers In Ottawa were demanded by opposition MPs on Friday to explain the controversial decision during a special meeting of the foreign affairs committee sometime next week.
The Liberals agreed to have Mélanie Joly, Foreign Affairs Minister, and Jonathan Wilkinson, Natural Resources Minister take questions.
Ukrainian Canadian Congress and the ambassadors of Ukraine would also be invited by the committee and Germany and the European Union to Canada would be asked to provide testimony.
#exemptionofgasturbines; #Russiansanctions; #Canada
