Ukraine ‘the biggest issue facing the world’

Conservative cabinet minister Chris Alexander says the situation in Ukraine is the biggest security issue facing the world today, even as his government debates expanding its military actions in the Middle East.

Alexander’s comments, made to Ukrainian Canadians during a speech in Toronto Feb. 22, are being shared on the Internet as the Conservative government prepares to extend its Iraq military mission and expand it into Syria.

The video of the immigration minister’s speech has also sparked a Twitter argument between Alexander and the Russian Embassy in Ottawa.

In his speech, Alexander denounced Russia’s Vladimir Putin as behaving like a terrorist and warned the situation in Ukraine affects all countries.

“This is the biggest issue facing the world today in my view, I think in the view of our prime minister, and our team,” he told the audience. “Yes there is terrorism. Vladimir Putin is behaving like a terrorist.”

Alexander said that the ongoing wars in Syria and Iraq are serious issues and Canada can’t forget what is going on in those countries.

“But the buck stops in Ukraine; there is absolutely no scenario going into the future that leads to peace and security for this world, that leads to prosperity in Europe globally that does not include a full international effort to give Ukraine the tools it needs to drive Russian forces from their borders and to secure its borders for good,” he told the audience.

The Russian Embassy challenged Alexander on Twitter this week, linking to the video of his speech on YouTube: “Sounds like Orwellian ‘five minutes of hate.’ Hardly the artwork of diplomacy,” the embassy tweeted.

Alexander fired back with the response: “Your invasion of Ukraine brought 14 months of death.”

Ukrainians have been fighting each other for more than a year, with government troops battling rebels who want to separate. Russia has provided support to the separatist forces and Canada and NATO have accused Russia of sending troops and equipment to take part in the war. Russia denies that.

Canada has been one of the most vocal nations condemning Russia’s action. Canada has also provided Ukraine with non-lethal military equipment.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has also pledged $400 million in loans to help Ukraine’s near-bankrupt government.