Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly says Canada will join allies in imposing severe sanctions on Russian officials if the country takes further military action to compromise Ukrainian sovereignty.
Russia has positioned about 100,000 troops across Ukraine’s borders, along with tanks and other heavy artillery, stoking fears across Europe of an invasion, but Russia has denied it intends to do that.
“We reject Russia’s false narrative that Ukraine or NATO are threats,” she said during a news conference in Brussels Thursday.
“They can choose meaningful dialogue or swift, severe consequences.”
Joly says Russia is already in Ukraine and that Canada and its European and NATO allies will not stand for further provocation — a reference to Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and the fomenting of Russian separatist forces in Ukraine’s eastern region.
When asked about beefing up military resources, including sending weapons to the region, Joly said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “is, as we speak, looking at a range of options”
WATCH | Canada will impose sanctions against Russia over Ukraine if warranted, Joly says
Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said Russia can choose to engage in meaningful dialogue or face severe consequences if it takes further military action against Ukrainian sovereignty. 0:46
On Wednesday, U.S. President Joe Biden said he expects Russian President Vladimir Putin to invade Ukraine, but that he will pay a “dear price” for that.
Joly was speaking in Brussels today with her European Union counterpart Josep Borrell, where she is wrapping up her three-country tour, which has included stops in Ukraine and France.
Joly is to meet later today with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
