Moscow questions Canada’s ability to defend its own borders
Following British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s announcement of a new “coalition of the willing” to protect Kiev if a peace agreement with Moscow is reached, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that Canada is considering all options, including deploying troops.
During an emergency meeting in London on Sunday, Starmer acknowledged that while some nations may not be able to contribute much, those who are willing should act quickly. When asked if Canada would consider sending troops, Trudeau responded that any scenario is possible.
“Canada has been examining how it can best assist, and as I mentioned a few days ago, all options are on the table,” Trudeau said, emphasizing that his country “has been a strong supporter of Ukraine from the outset.”
Starmer reiterated on Sunday that “not every nation will feel able to contribute, but that can’t mean that we sit back,” and emphasized that the UK is “prepared to back this with boots on the ground and planes in the air, together with others.”
French President Emmanuel Macron said that European troops would only be deployed when the situation on the ground is safe. He proposed a temporary month-long “truce in the air, on the seas, and on energy infrastructure,” an idea that Moscow has previously dismissed as a Western tactic to re-equip and strengthen Kiev.
Moscow has strongly objected to the deployment of unauthorized foreign troops to Ukraine, warning that they would be considered legitimate targets without a UN mandate. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has stated that the idea of deploying foreign troops to Ukraine – primarily promoted by France and Britain – is intended to “further fuel the conflict and stop any attempts to cool it down.”