Deputy Prime Minister Christia Freeland said Canada and “several” allies left Russia during a group plenary session of the G20 finance ministers’ meeting on Wednesday.
In a series of tweets, Freeland criticized Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, saying that because the G20 summit is focused on the global economy, Russia should not be allowed to attend.
Russia’s unprovoked and bloody invasion of Ukraine, a sovereign democracy, has sparked global economic turmoil in recent weeks, adding to the pressure already straining systems in the wake of the pandemic.
World democracies will not stand idly by in the face of ongoing Russian aggression and war crimes. Today, Canada and a number of our democratic partners left the G20 plenary hall when Russia tried to intervene. pic.twitter.com/J67gU810sO
– Chrystia Freeland (@cafreeland) April 20, 2022
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A Canadian government spokesman told Global News earlier Wednesday that Freeland could also use the G20 rallies to directly refute any Russian statements made during the plenary session.
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The employee speaks in the background, as they are not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
A Freeland spokesman described the Russian invasion as “a serious threat to the world economy, which raises food and fuel prices and hits the most vulnerable among us”.
“Russia should not be involved in these meetings,” said Adrienne Vaupshas, a Freeland spokesman.
“World democracies will not stand idly by in the face of ongoing Russian aggression and war crimes. Today, the Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, US Secretary of State Janet Yellen and a number of other Democratic partners left the G20 plenary hall when the Russian delegation tried to intervene.
Read more: Mariupol may have only “a few days or hours” left, says Ukrainian commander
The news comes as G20 finance ministers prepare for a meeting Wednesday as Ukrainians continue to defend their country from the Russian invasion, which began on February 24th.
Russian forces have gathered in the eastern region of Ukraine in preparation for an attack on Ukrainians in Donbas and Luhansk.
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But the port city of Mariupol is also at the forefront of global attention as Russia’s ultimatum to Ukrainian commanders warning them to surrender or die expires.
Reuters reported Wednesday that there was no mass surrender, but the commander of a unit believed to be in the besieged city said his forces could only survive for days or hours.
With a file from Reuters.
With files with Brian Mullen from Global.
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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