Ukraine's ambassador slams Canada for Airbus sanctions waiver on critical Russian mineral

Canada's decision to grant European defence contrac‐ tor Airbus a sanctions waiver on the use of Russ‐ ian titanium in its equip‐ ment has drawn a sharp, emotional response from Ukraine's ambassador.

Appearing on CBC's Power & Politics, Yuliya Kovaliv held up a photo of the aftermath of a Russian Kalibr missile strike two years ago where a child was killed, which shows emergency crews in the back‐ ground of an overturned stroller, saying the critical mineral is used in the manu‐ facturing of not only the su‐ personic rocket but other major warplanes.

Allowing western com‐ panies to continue to use Russian titanium is only feed‐ ing the Kremlin's war mach‐ ine, she said.

"It's very disturbing," Ko‐ valiv said Wednesday, adding she had reached out to Global Affairs Canada for an explanation but had not yet received one.

WATCH | See Kovaliv's entire interview with Power & Politics:

Reuters first reported that Canada had granted the waiver and quoted the com‐ pany as saying, "Airbus is aware of the Canadian gov‐ ernment imposing sanctions on [the Russian company VSMPO-AVISMA] and has ob‐ tained the necessary autho‐ rization to secure Airbus op‐ erations in compliance with the applicable sanctions."

Airbus operates manufac‐ turing facilities in Ontario and Quebec.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said Canadian jobs were the main concern when it came to granting the waiver.

"We will always make sure to put maximum pressure on the Russian regime and meanwhile protect our jobs here at home. We can do that together," she said.

The sanctions on Russian titanium, which because of its light weight and strength is used in the manufacturing of aircraft engines, were in‐ troduced in February. Cana‐ da was the first western na‐ tion to target Moscow's ex‐ port of the critical mineral.

As much as $13 billion US was added to Moscow's war chest by the export of miner‐ als, such as titanium.

That's more than the com‐ bined military and economic support Canada has given to Ukraine since the full-scale invasion began two years ago, Kovaliv said.

Russia's VSMPO-AVISMA, based in Verkhnyaya Salda, is the world's largest producer of titanium.

Other nations, such as China, Kazakhstan and Japan, have large production capac‐ ity and potential. Canada al‐ so has an abundance of the critical mineral.

Not long after the fullscale invasion of Ukraine, Air‐ bus rival Boeing swore off Russian titanium and can‐ celled a long-standing con‐ tract with the Russian giant.

Almost a year and a half ago, Airbus pledged to do the same.

"We are in the process of decoupling from Russia when it comes to titanium. It will be a matter of months not years," Michael Schoellhorn, chief executive Airbus De‐ fence & Space, said in De‐ cember 2022.

Airbus had 2 years to find new supplier

Kovaliv said two years is "to‐ tally enough time" for the company to have found alter‐ nate sources of the strategic mineral.

Ukraine initially ap‐ plauded Canada's decision to impose penalties.

"This is the huge Russian military support of the con‐ glomerate which Ukraine was advocating for months and years that they need to be sanctioned," she said.

Other countries have been careful not to tread into this area because titanium is used in so many defence pro‐ ducts, and it is woven throughout the supply chains globally.

Analysts have suggested the vast majority of Canadian companies have yet to fully understand the ramifications of this set of sanctions.

A FAQ answer published by Global Affairs Canada a few weeks ago said the use of third party materials would trigger the sanctions.