Joly wraps Ukraine trip amid fears of Russian invasion in standoff with West, NATO
Published January 18, 2022 at 2:30 pm
OTTAWA — Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says Canada has not decided whether it will help arm Ukraine forces with military hardware after NATO ally Britain said Monday it would supply anti-tank weapons to the eastern European country.
Joly is wrapping her two-day trip to Ukraine, the first leg of a three-country continental tour that will include stops in France and meetings with European Union and NATO leaders in Brussels.
Her talks with Canada’s allies come as fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine are running high in Europe.
In a joint press conference in Kyiv with her Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba, Joly says she heard his country’s demand for more military assistance from Canada and that she will make a decision in a timely manner.
Russia has positioned about 100,000 troops on Ukraine’s eastern border along with tanks and other heavy artillery but has denied it intends to invade Ukraine.
Russia has demanded assurances from NATO that Ukraine will not be allowed to join the 30-country transatlantic military alliance, but that demand has been firmly rejected by Canada, the United States and their allies.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 18, 2022.
The Canadian Press
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