Trudeau announces sanctions on 10 more Russians over Ukraine invasion

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced new sanctions Monday on 10 Russian political and business leaders in response President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

Trudeau said the 10 individuals who are being sanctioned were identified by Alexei Navalny, the jailed Russian opposition leader who is considered Putin’s main rival.

“Canada is announcing new sanctions on 10 individuals complicit in this unjustified invasion. This includes former and current senior government officials, oligarchs and supporters of Russian leadership,” the prime minister said.

Trudeau announced the sanctions during a news conference in London, England, where he was appearing alongside British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

The three leaders stood united in condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which is now in its second week.

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Meanwhile, Canada, the UK and the Netherlands, announced a new coalition to provide more stable and consistent support for Ukraine, especially around the humanitarian crisis with refugees fleeing the violence.

Trudeau also hinted at increasing the funding for the Canadian military, noting his government has previously boosted spending on the Armed Forces but said the context has changed and the military needs proper resources. He also noted that there is a budget coming up. Canada spends less than the two per cent set out by NATO.

Trudeau is in London to discuss the ongoing conflict with Johnson and Rutte. He met with each leader separately and together, where Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was the key conversation. They were to strategize on the response of NATO countries to the conflict.

“We want to stand with the Ukrainian people and push back hard against Russia,” said Trudeau after arriving at the Royal Air Force Station Northolt outside of London for the meeting.

They spoke inside an officers mess building outside a vast airfield that was also a base for the Polish Air Force and played a pivotal role in the Battle of Britain.

Ahead of the news conference, Trudeau also had a private audience with Queen Elizabeth at Windsor Castle. It was her first in-person engagement since recovering from COVID.

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— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) March 7, 2022

The prime minister will be in Latvia later this week to meet with the leader of that country as well as leaders from Germany and Poland. He will join the secretary general of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, for a visit to the Latvia military base where hundreds of Canadian forces personnel are stationed.

Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly is in Romania on Monday to continue talks about the security situation in Eastern Europe and how Canada can further assist Ukraine’s neighbouring countries.

Joly arrived in Europe last week for meetings with NATO and European Commission officials about ongoing efforts to sanction Russia. She says Canada has plans to increase economic sanctions on the Russian billionaires who continue to support Russian President Vladimir Putin’s regime.

“We will continue to impose maximum pressure on the Russian regime,” says Joly. “Later today there will be announcements regarding sanctions.”

Joly also says Canada will continue its NATO commitment to protect Romania as part of efforts to bolster the eastern European flank against Russia. NATO has mobilized thousands of troops backed by aircraft, tanks and heavy equipment and deployed them to member countries that are nervous about Russia’s intentions for their future.

NATO allies, including Canada, have refused to police a no-fly zone over Ukraine despite continued requests from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. NATO officials continue to condemn the Russian attacks but say a no-fly zone would lead to an escalation of war in Europe.

Putin warned Saturday that such a step would be considered a participation in armed conflict.

International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan announced plans to travel to Geneva, Switzerland, to meet with the United Nations and other international partners to discuss the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, as well as the situation in Afghanistan and the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

After meetings in Geneva on Monday, Sajjan plans to head to Eastern Europe as well.

Russia announced yet another cease-fire and a handful of humanitarian corridors to allow civilians to flee Ukraine starting Monday, but previous such measures have fallen apart and Moscow’s armed forces continued to pummel some Ukrainian cities with rockets even after the announcement.

A day earlier, hundreds of thousands of civilians attempting to flee to safety were forced to shelter from what Ukrainian officials said was Russian shelling in cities in the center, north and south.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Putin to halt the fighting and address humanitarian concerns during a discussion on Sunday.

According to Russian officials, Putin’s response to Erdogan was that Russian forces would cease if Ukraine “ceases hostilities and fulfills the well-known demands of Russia.”

With files The Associated Press