Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly says she will provide more details on possible additional sanctions against Moscow by the end of this week.
“We are looking at all options. […] We will act,” she said during a virtual press briefing on Monday after taking part in a meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
She made the remarks after a journalist asked her what Canada is considering doing to freeze the Canadian assets of members of the Russian elite profiting from several businesses.
“There are several things we are doing and, every day, we are refining our strategy. Every day, we do more, ”she also declared with regard to all current and future sanctions.
The nuclear threat, “unjustifiable”
As for the fact that Vladimir Putin placed his country’s nuclear forces on alert, Ms. Joly vilified the Russian president.
“The very idea of using nuclear weapons in Ukraine is an idea which is not only unjustifiable, but which is madness”, launched the minister.
Earlier Monday, Canada’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, Bob Rae, poured out his own criticism while testifying before the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “I think it’s deeply irrational,” he said.
He pointed out that Russia backed a United Nations statement in January that there is no justification for the use of nuclear weapons.
“We’re not talking about years ago. We are talking about six or seven weeks ago, ”he insisted.
Mr. Rae also said that he considers the threat wielded by Vladimir Putin to be a “tactic” to convince the West to back down, something that absolutely must not be relented.
Furthermore, the ambassador mentioned that he did not sense any “reservations” on the part of the Minister of National Defense, Anita Anand, with regard to the possibility of Canada supplying lethal weapons to Ukraine.
“I think it’s a question of seeing what Ukraine’s needs are and what our colleagues are doing [les] partner countries to tackle the problem. And we are seeing everything we can do to add to the impact of our assistance to Ukraine,” he said.
He also argued that the sanctions so far put forward by Canada, jointly with its allies, are unprecedented in modern history. The same applies, in his view, to the financial and military support announced.
Like Minister Joly, he pointed out that additional sanctions should come soon. However, consultation with Canada’s partners must first continue, he said.
“We cannot be specific exactly because there is not yet a necessary consensus to go further. But I believe it will come. »
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau holds a press briefing Monday at 3:30 p.m., along with Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, Minister of National Defense Anita Anand and Minister of Immigration Sean Fraser.
Ottawa has already announced on Sunday that it will send $25 million worth of combat protective equipment to Ukraine. Also yesterday, Federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra also declared that Canada’s airspace was closed to Russian planes, like many European countries. On Friday, the Canadian government had targeted additional economic sanctions against members of Vladimir Putin’s close guard as well as the Russian elite, as well as all Canadian exports to the country.