Canada sanctions 10 more Russians over Ukraine
Allies contend with issue of greater military spending
Canada poked Russia in the eye Monday by sanctioning 10 people on the wish list of Vladimir Putin’s top domestic opponent as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spent his first day of a four-country European tour in London.
Trudeau, his British host Boris Johnson and their Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte did their best to project solidarity with Ukraine in the face of the unrelenting Russian invasion.
They chose a historic setting to kick off their talks: the Royal Air Force Station Northolt outside of London, which played a key role in the Battle of Britain that ultimately saved the island nation from a Nazi Germany bombardment in the Second World War.
Johnson took apparent pride in telling his two guests that this was where Britain hosted Poland’s Air Force during the great battle when it registered the most “kills” of Luftwaffe warplanes. Rutte also acknowledged the role the base played in the Second World War.
But Canada, Britain and their NATO partners are not keen to repeat the history of that great air battle any time soon.
The have rejected desperate Ukrainian pleas for a no-fly zone to protect their civilians from Russian bombardment because they fear it could start a new world war if they engage with Russian planes.
As they moved to 10 Downing Street, where the Ukraine flag fluttered next to the Union Jack, to hold more talks and a closing news conference, Trudeau was met with a reminder of the modern unrest that has dogged his government.
Protesters greeted him outside the official residence, cursing at him and waving Canadian flags and placards calling for the release of Tamara Lich, one of the organizers of last month’s antigovernment protests in Ottawa.
Inside, the three leaders were forced to confront the tough questions of dealing with the new Russian war on Europe, including the implications for the continent’s reliance on Russian oil, and whether all allies would need to spend far more on their militaries — a thorny issue for all Canadian leaders since the 1990s.
But Trudeau came with an announcement, aimed squarely at Putin: sanctions against 10 more prominent Russians.
“The names of these individuals come from a list compiled by jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The sanctions put increased pressure on Russia’s leadership, including on Putin’s inner circle.”
Navalny is currently in a Russian prison on politically motivated charges after surviving an attempted poisoning in 2020 that many have blamed on Putin and his cronies. The Russian leader has denied any involvement.
Johnson, meanwhile, unveiled more than $200 million in additional aid for Ukraine. The three leaders acknowledged the economic pressure sanctions are having in their own countries but insisted on the need to stop Russia.