Canada’s strategy in Ukraine is now based on working with rich countries to train Ukrainian soldiers in the use of Western weapons, and with poorer countries to fight Russian disinformation, the Minister of Foreign Affairs said. foreign Mélanie Joly.
“Developing countries want to see more stability and peace in the world. We have to work with Western countries, but also with countries that represent the majority of the international community,” Minister Joly said to questions from Canadian journalists from New York on Thursday.
Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs participated this week in meetings on Ukraine at the United Nations (UN) as well as with the countries that form the Group of Seven (G7). The subject of Ukraine monopolized the discussions, when the Russian president delivered a speech in which he announced a partial conscription of reservists and brandished the nuclear threat against the West.
Mélanie Joly says she had the opportunity to meet with representatives from many countries, “ranging from the Indo-Pacific, Latin America and Africa, to ensure that together we put pressure on the President Putin. The Minister spoke of the need to counter disinformation campaigns led by Russia and which target countries whose economic situation is precarious.
“For example, large disinformation campaigns carried out by Russia [visent à] use anti-American sentiment and make sure to push the narrative that Western sanctions, such as those in Canada, Europe and the United States, are causing food security and inflation problems. While it is false. »
No new armament
Along with the United Kingdom, in particular, Canada has also undertaken to train Ukrainian soldiers in the use of Western-made heavy weapons that various countries have offered. Ottawa has not announced the shipment of additional armament requested by its Ukrainian ally, for the moment. Minister Joly pointed out that her government has already sent $3 billion in aid to Ukraine. “And the check went to kyiv,” she said, contrary to promises from other countries.
The minister compared the Russian president’s speech on Wednesday to an admission of failure. “His plan is being derailed. He is really in a corner, backed against the wall, ”she said. In a message on Twitteron Wednesday, she said that Canada would not recognize any referendums organized by Russia on occupied Ukrainian territories.
Canada seems ready to welcome Russian citizens fleeing their country to avoid going to the battlefield. “What we want to do is be able to support Russian dissidents. We want to be very open to welcoming them, when they are in difficult positions and the regime is challenged, ”replied Mélanie Joly.
The minister would not say whether Canada really takes the nuclear threat seriously, as US President Joe Biden has said. She indicated that international conversations are continuing on this issue.
A dinner with allied countries on both sides of the Atlantic, hosted by the United States, is due to take place Thursday evening to discuss, among other things, Ukraine’s additional weapons needs.