Minister hints at more help for Kyiv

MILITARY AID

OTTAWA • Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan says the federal government is concerned about a new outbreak of fighting in Ukraine and is looking at ways to “improve” Canada’s military support to the country.

“I’m looking at the options right now in terms of how we can improve our support, what changes that we need to make,” Sajjan said Wednesday. “But one thing is for sure, that Canada remains committed to Ukraine.”

Canada first deployed about 200 troops to Ukraine in the summer of 2015 to help train government forces after Russia annexed Crimea and began supporting separatist forces in Ukraine’s Donbass region.

The Ukrainian government has publicly asked Canada to extend the mission, which is set to expire at the end of March, and while the Liberal government has been non-committal, Sajjan’s comments suggest an ongoing Canadian military presence.

“I’ve always said when we send troops, we want to make sure they have a meaningful impact,” he said. “And we are having a meaningful impact in Ukraine.”

Conservative defence critic James Bezan said he hopes the Liberal government not only extends the training mission, but expands Canada’s military support.

“At some point in time we have to make a decision that Ukraine needs our help,” Bezan said.

“They’re fighting a war against Russian imperialism and if they fail, then it’s right on NATO’s doorstep. So they definitely need the support and training. They definitely need the support with satellite images. They should at the very least be supplying non-kinetic equipment.”

The mission has so far resulted in 2,600 Ukrainian troops being trained primarily in basic soldiering.

VALEKSEY FILIPPOV / AFP / GETTY IMAGES Rescue workers give food to residents in the Ukrainian town of Avdiivka on Wednesday as government forces and Russia-backed separatists battled.