Just Peace Advocates is pleased to share this press release on behalf of the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute.
Please register & join for tomorrow’s webinar, Canada, NATO, Russia and the Crisis over Ukraine
Immediate Release
Trudeau Fuels Ukraine Fire
On Monday Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Canada was donating $7.8 million worth of ammunition and lethal weaponry to the Ukrainian military.
“The Canadian government shouldn’t be giving the Ukrainian military more weapons”, said Bianca Mugyenyi, Director of the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute. “It further militarizes the simmering crisis.”
While claiming their objective in delivering weapons is to deter a Russian invasion, the US, Canada and Britain recently withdrew their members from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine in rebel-held Donetsk.
“If our government is genuinely concerned that a Russian attack on Ukraine is imminent, it would make sense to have more not less eyes on the ground in the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine”, said Yves Engler, a fellow with the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute.
“By giving the Ukrainian military more weapons and removing Canada’s monitors from the OSCE mission the Trudeau government is increasing the likelihood of the Ukrainian military attacking separatists in the Eastern Donbas region”, noted Engler. “This increases the likelihood of violence in eastern Ukraine, which could spiral into a confrontation between the nuclear armed NATO alliance and Russia.”
“Part of why Washington is ramping up tensions with Russia is that they are making a last ditch bid to disrupt certification of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that is set to deliver natural gas from Russia to Germany”, added Engler. “Trudeau’s assistance to Washington in fuelling this conflict undercuts European economic and security arrangements.”
Tomorrow evening the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute will be hosting a webinar on “Canada, NATO, Russia & the Crisis over Ukraine”.
For more information:
Bianca Mugyenyi, Director Canadian Foreign Policy Institute
Phone: 514-436-7629 Email: info@foreignpolicy.ca
