The decision of the federal government to return to Germany repaired Russian turbines in Canada despite the sanctions in force is “shameful” and “unethical”, according to Jean Charest.
• Read also: Canadian ambassador summoned to Kyiv following ‘unacceptable’ turbine transfer
“Putin is a war criminal who should never be helped by Canada. Trudeau’s decision to give in to his pressure is contrary to our sanctions, our values and our national interest […]“said the candidate for the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada on Twitter.
The latter urged his adversaries to oppose the dispatch of the turbines of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline, which allow the Russian giant Gazprom to supply Germany with natural gas, a fuel which constitutes 30% of its total consumption of energy.
Opposition parties in Ottawa, including the Conservative Party, the Bloc Québécois and the NDP have all shown their opposition to dismissing the turbines over the past few days.
After months of good understanding, the “unacceptable” decision of the Trudeau government was badly received by Volodymyr Zelensky, who speaks of a “very difficult” day for his country.
The return of the turbines to Germany “will be seen in Moscow only as a sign of weakness” on the part of Western countries, the Ukrainian president warned in a video Monday.
Frustrated, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry summoned Canada’s Chargé d’Affaires urgently to provide an update on the decision.
Unfortunately for the Ukrainian government, it is unlikely to be reversed given the support received first by the United States on Monday, then by the European Commission on Tuesday.
The German government fears that the absence of these turbines will have a negative impact on the social cohesion of the country.