Trudeau Says Canada Might Deploy Troops to Ukraine
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau has stated that Ottawa is exploring all potential avenues to strengthen and support Kiev's stance against Moscow. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
**Moscow Questions Ottawa's Military Readiness to Secure Its Borders**
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau indicated that Canada is exploring all potential options, including the possibility of deploying troops, following British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's announcement of a new “coalition of the willing” to bolster Ukraine's defenses in the event of a peace agreement with Moscow.
Starmer convened an emergency meeting in London on Sunday where he recognized that while some countries may have limited capabilities, those willing to contribute need to act promptly. When asked about the prospect of Canadian troop deployment, Trudeau affirmed that “any scenario was possible.”
“Canada has looked at the ways it can best help, and as I said a few days ago, everything’s on the table,” he asserted, reiterating that Canada “has been one of the strongest countries in support of Ukraine from the beginning.”
As a demonstration of Canada's commitment to supporting Ukraine, Trudeau pointed to a collaborative initiative with the UK and Poland that has provided military training to over 44,000 Ukrainian soldiers since 2015, averaging around 4,400 annually. He also noted "almost $20 billion" in “multifaceted assistance” to Ukraine. However, estimates from Germany’s Kiel Institute place Canada’s total contribution at approximately $8.6 billion, ranking it as the fifth-largest donor among countries such as the US, Germany, the UK, and Japan.
In response to Trudeau's comments, Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for Russia's Foreign Ministry, remarked with skepticism, questioning whether Canada possesses sufficient military forces to safeguard its own borders. This comment appeared to allude to a recurring joke by former US President Donald Trump about making Canada the 51st state.
“And who will protect Canadian soil in the event of a northward expansion of the United States? Apparently, Ukrainians who fled to Canada from mobilization,” Zakharova jested.
Starmer emphasized during the meeting that “not every nation will feel able to contribute, but that can’t mean that we sit back,” stressing the UK’s readiness to support the initiative with “boots on the ground and planes in the air, together with others.”
French President Emmanuel Macron remarked that European troops would only be dispatched once the situation on the ground is assessed as safe. He suggested a temporary month-long “truce in the air, on the seas, and on energy infrastructure” – a proposal that Moscow has previously criticized as a Western tactic aimed at rearming Ukraine.
Moscow has firmly opposed the unauthorized deployment of foreign troops in Ukraine, warning that without a UN mandate, these forces would be regarded as legitimate targets. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has asserted that the push for foreign troop deployment, advocated mainly by France and Britain, aims to “further fuel the conflict and stop any attempts to cool it down.”
Emily Johnson for TROIB News
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau indicated that Canada is exploring all potential options, including the possibility of deploying troops, following British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's announcement of a new “coalition of the willing” to bolster Ukraine's defenses in the event of a peace agreement with Moscow.
Starmer convened an emergency meeting in London on Sunday where he recognized that while some countries may have limited capabilities, those willing to contribute need to act promptly. When asked about the prospect of Canadian troop deployment, Trudeau affirmed that “any scenario was possible.”
“Canada has looked at the ways it can best help, and as I said a few days ago, everything’s on the table,” he asserted, reiterating that Canada “has been one of the strongest countries in support of Ukraine from the beginning.”
As a demonstration of Canada's commitment to supporting Ukraine, Trudeau pointed to a collaborative initiative with the UK and Poland that has provided military training to over 44,000 Ukrainian soldiers since 2015, averaging around 4,400 annually. He also noted "almost $20 billion" in “multifaceted assistance” to Ukraine. However, estimates from Germany’s Kiel Institute place Canada’s total contribution at approximately $8.6 billion, ranking it as the fifth-largest donor among countries such as the US, Germany, the UK, and Japan.
In response to Trudeau's comments, Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for Russia's Foreign Ministry, remarked with skepticism, questioning whether Canada possesses sufficient military forces to safeguard its own borders. This comment appeared to allude to a recurring joke by former US President Donald Trump about making Canada the 51st state.
“And who will protect Canadian soil in the event of a northward expansion of the United States? Apparently, Ukrainians who fled to Canada from mobilization,” Zakharova jested.
Starmer emphasized during the meeting that “not every nation will feel able to contribute, but that can’t mean that we sit back,” stressing the UK’s readiness to support the initiative with “boots on the ground and planes in the air, together with others.”
French President Emmanuel Macron remarked that European troops would only be dispatched once the situation on the ground is assessed as safe. He suggested a temporary month-long “truce in the air, on the seas, and on energy infrastructure” – a proposal that Moscow has previously criticized as a Western tactic aimed at rearming Ukraine.
Moscow has firmly opposed the unauthorized deployment of foreign troops in Ukraine, warning that without a UN mandate, these forces would be regarded as legitimate targets. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has asserted that the push for foreign troop deployment, advocated mainly by France and Britain, aims to “further fuel the conflict and stop any attempts to cool it down.”
Emily Johnson for TROIB News
