In a State Department statement issued Monday, department spokesman Ned Price said work was continuing to further target and limit Russia’s ability to use energy revenue in its ongoing attacks on Ukraine, while also seeking to limit the impact of the war. of Russian President Vladimir Putin. in the global energy market. “The United States is united with our Allies and partners in our commitment to advance European energy security, reduce our collective dependence on Russian energy, and maintain pressure on the Kremlin,” the statement said. “We support the Canadian government’s decision.” On Saturday, Canada announced it had decided to grant a “limited and revocable permit” to allow Siemens Canada to return the Nord Stream 1 turbines to Germany from Montreal where they had been sent for repairs. The equipment had been held in Canada after the federal government imposed sanctions on Russian state energy company Gazprom. The gas giant claimed it needed the turbines to continue supplying Germany after it had already significantly reduced the flow of natural gas through the pipeline. German Vice-Chancellor and Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck recently told Bloomberg that there was concern in Germany that if the turbines were not returned before scheduled maintenance, that Russia could cite that as a reason for further shutdowns. natural gas supply. into the country, leaving Germany without an adequate reserve. Despite American support, Canada’s decision has drawn sharp criticism from Ukraine and its supporters, who are calling on Canada to reconsider, suggesting the federal government’s decision has given Russia leverage it will continue to try to exploit when it is an energy sector. “What Russia now knows is that Canada and Germany turned a blind eye,” said Ukrainian Canadian Congress president Alexandra Chyczij.
‘DANGEROUS PRECEDENT’: M.P.S
Domestically, the federal opposition parties have also come out strongly against the move. On Monday, NDP MP and foreign affairs critic Heather McPherson issued a scathing statement calling on Canada to reverse the “shocking and disappointing” decision. “This decision flies in the face of Canada’s sanctions against Russia in response to its illegal invasion and genocide in Ukraine. Canadians expect their government to show real solidarity with Ukraine, but the Liberal government’s decision is an insult for the Ukrainians,” McPherson said. “How will Canada be justified in asking other countries to hold Russia accountable for its crimes when we are not abiding by our own sanctions?” Key members of the federal Conservative caucus also decried the decision, saying in a statement on Sunday that by bypassing its own sanctions, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government “sets a dangerous precedent of folding back into Putin’s blackmail in Europe and will negatively impact Canada’s Place on the World Stage’. There is now some pressure building for the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee to hold a special summer meeting to discuss the decision and examine the effectiveness of the federal sanctions regime. On Saturday, in a statement about the decision, Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said allied countries “cannot allow” Putin’s efforts to use European energy security to sow division among the allies to be successful. “Canada stands with Ukraine against Russia’s unprovoked, brutal invasion and we will continue to work in coordination with allies and partners to impose serious costs on the Russian regime,” Wilkinson said. Along with the decision to return key pieces of pipeline infrastructure, the federal government announced a new round of sanctions targeting Russia’s oil and gas sector. “We will not stop imposing this severe cost on the Putin regime while its unwarranted invasion continues. We will continue to support our European friends and allies as they work to end dependence on Russian gas imports as quickly as possible, helping to stabilize emergency markets and develop long-term and sustainable solutions to energy supply,” the minister said in his statement. With a report from CTV National News Ottawa Bureau Chief Joyce Napier
