Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said Canada’s decision last week to send repaired parts of a Russian natural gas pipeline back to Germany was a difficult decision but the right one.
The Liberals have faced sharp criticism from Ukraine for exempting six Siemens Energy turbines, which were serviced in Montreal and help supply gas to parts of Germany, from sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters on a teleconference after a meeting of G20 finance ministers in Bali, Indonesia, Freeland said she understood Ukraine’s response but maintained it was the right thing to do.
She says Canada is united and resolute in its support for Ukraine, but cannot alone provide the country with the support it needs, and added unity among Ukraine’s allies is needed.
Freeland says Germany has been clear its ability to maintain its support for Ukraine could be at risk because of the pipeline, run by Russian state energy company Gazprom, which cut gas supplies by 60 percent last month, citing technical problems related to the turbines.
The United States publicly supported Canada’s decision, something Freeland said was very important.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, on the other hand, condemned the decision as “absolutely unacceptable” earlier this week.
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