G7 Summit | Trudeau rebukes Russia and assures support for Ukraine

(Ottawa) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau blasted Russia sharply during his closing press briefing at the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Japan, where the agenda was bumped to mark the arrival of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky .

The support of Ukraine’s allies was crucial for its survival in the context of the Russian invasion. Countries calling for a ceasefire, however, must recognize that only Russia can be blamed for the conflict, Trudeau said Sunday in Hiroshima.

“If we imagined, for example, that the Ukrainians tomorrow laid down their weapons and stopped fighting. Would we have the end of the conflict? No ! Because Russia is violating the sovereignty and free choice of the Ukrainian people,” the prime minister said.

“Of course the Ukrainians want peace: they are being invaded by their neighbour! The only way to create a lasting peace from now on is for Russia to decide to stop its illegal invasion of a peaceful neighbor,” Trudeau said.

Ukraine’s president arrived in Hiroshima on Saturday after G7 countries announced new sanctions against Russia and invited southern partner nations to the summit, hoping to build broader alliances in the face of Russia’s geopolitical threats.

During the three-day summit, the United States confirmed that it will allow its Western allies to send American fighter jets to support Ukraine’s war effort.

When asked how Canada could support this effort, Mr. Trudeau replied that the ongoing effort of the Canadian Armed Forces could include the training of pilots.

“We are certainly not averse to helping in any way,” the premier said.

Trudeau, who met with the Ukrainian president on Sunday morning, said President Zelensky’s physical presence in Hiroshima has made a difference.

“It changed the dynamic of the conversation,” he said. It is very significant for anyone to meet Mr. Zelensky, to hear him speak with such passion about the defense of his country, his culture, his identity and the atrocities that Russia continues to commit. »

Not all of the same opinion

The G7 Summit also welcomed leaders from emerging economies such as India, Brazil and Indonesia, as well as representatives from less developed countries. Some of these countries are more economically dependent on Russia and more reluctant to criticize its actions.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who also met Justin Trudeau on Sunday, called for a ceasefire and offered a group of nations, including Brazil, to negotiate peace.

At the same time, he refused to supply arms to Ukraine. The Brazilian president assigned some of the blame to Ukraine for the invasion of Russia and argued that the United States and Europe are boosting the fighting.

The presence of the G7 leaders in Hiroshima, a city devastated by an atomic bomb during the Second World War, was also an opportunity for them to commit to charting a new course for nuclear non-proliferation.

“Most of us don’t remember a time when the world was threatened by nuclear war,” Trudeau confessed when asked if the leaders’ visit to a Hiroshima memorial had colored their speeches.

“The Cold War ended a long time ago and the danger of nuclear war has sadly been forgotten by many people. »

Trudeau said Russia’s irresponsible nuclear rhetoric, North Korea’s threats and the uncertainty surrounding Iran have underscored the need to remember the dangers of nuclear proliferation.

“We must take the current threats to global peace and security very seriously,” he said.

Talks about China

Since the controversy surrounding allegations of Chinese interference in Canada’s last two federal elections has dominated political conversation at home recently, the G7 leaders also agreed to add language on foreign interference to their joint communiqué.

“Foreign interference is a reality in all our democracies. This is nothing new,” said Mr. Trudeau during his press briefing, although he did not give details on the content of the discussions around the leaders’ table.

“There was a clear understanding and support that this is something we need to tackle head-on,” he said.

Justin Trudeau believes that democracies must therefore strike a balance when it comes to broader relations with the world’s second largest economy.

“We cannot simply choose to ignore the existence of China,” he acknowledged.

Yet the G7 leaders have agreed to try to reduce their economic dependence on China.

“We all agree that we must also continue to protect ourselves against authoritarian countries that use their economic power to exert unfair pressure on others,” said Mr. Trudeau.

The Prime Minister’s participation in the G7 Leaders’ Summit followed his first official visit to South Korea, where the two countries reached agreements on critical minerals and youth mobility.

As part of its plan to counteract China’s growing influence in the region, Canada is seeking to strengthen its ties with countries like South Korea and Japan.