Canada Presses for Peace as Doubts Grow Over Putin’s Intentions

A senior Canadian official expressed skepticism regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s willingness to pursue peace with Ukraine, emphasizing the necessity for ongoing support for Kyiv and sustained pressure on Moscow. During her testimony before the House of Commons foreign affairs committee, Jocelyn Kinnear, director general of the Ukraine Task Force at Global Affairs Canada, noted that as the conflict approaches its fourth anniversary, her optimism is rooted in Ukraine’s resilience rather than in expectations from Putin.

Kinnear stated, “I don’t have a ton of optimism about President Putin. But I do think that we all need to be determined in exerting whatever pressure we can to bring him to the negotiating table and to bring an end to the war.” Previous international efforts, particularly those initiated under former U.S. President Donald Trump, to negotiate peace have faltered, with Putin showing no sign of halting the relentless missile and drone strikes against Ukraine.

In light of the ongoing conflict, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced plans to travel to Turkey this week, aiming to revitalize negotiations. Turkish officials indicated that discussions would focus on establishing a ceasefire and a sustainable resolution. Trump has expressed frustration with Putin’s unyielding stance, which includes demands for the entirety of the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine, currently only partially occupied by Russian forces.

New American sanctions targeting Russia’s vital oil sector are set to take effect on Friday. These sanctions aim to cut off funding for Putin’s military operations, which have resulted in significant casualties in Ukraine. Canada has also implemented fresh sanctions aimed at those involved in Russia’s drone and cyber-attacks against Ukraine, as well as targeting vessels in Russia’s sanctions-evading shadow fleet and two liquefied natural gas entities.

Andrii Plakhotniuk, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Canada, urged members of Parliament to strengthen Canada’s sanctions regime further. He reported that measures focusing on Russia’s oil and gas sector, combined with Ukrainian military strikes on energy targets, have begun to yield results. “By the end of this year, Russia will have lost at least $37 billion in budget oil and gas income,” he stated. “Therefore, we should multiply our joint efforts to put pressure on Putin and to make him stop the war. This is the only way.”

Kinnear acknowledged the complexities of making sanctions effective, noting that they require continual adjustments to close loopholes that Russia may exploit. “I would say that sanctions are a marathon and not a sprint,” she said. Over the past three years, sanctions have significantly impacted the Russian economy, leading to high inflation and a shift towards prioritizing oil and gas exports at the expense of other sectors.

The acting director general of the International Security Policy and Strategic Affairs Bureau at Global Affairs Canada, Eric Laporte, highlighted ongoing discussions with China about using its influence to advocate for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. “We are bringing attention to the fact that in 2022, China convened the Global Security Initiative, which seeks multilateralism but has components and principles that are important — territorial integrity, sovereignty,” he noted. He underscored the contradictions in China’s position, especially as Russia’s actions contradict the principles outlined in the initiative.

Laporte also addressed Canada’s military training mission for Ukrainian soldiers, known as Operation Unifier. He mentioned the possibility of relocating training from other European locations to within Ukraine. Prime Minister Mark Carney indicated that Canada is prepared to consider “direct and scalable military assistance” in a post-ceasefire scenario. “The prime minister has made it clear that Canada would be willing to consider scalable options, including potentially putting troops on the ground, boots on the ground, if and when required,” Laporte explained.

Plakhotniuk expressed gratitude for Canada’s support and requested additional military and financial assistance, emphasizing the need for continued aid at least equivalent to the $2 billion package pledged earlier this year. He noted, “On many cases you have shown strong leadership, so please continue to do that.”

In addition to military support, Canada has also been active in addressing the issue of Ukrainian children forcibly deported to Russia and Belarus. Plakhotniuk highlighted the urgent need to reunite these children with their families, as many are being indoctrinated and trained to engage in combat against Ukraine. The International Criminal Court has charged Putin and other top Kremlin officials with war crimes related to this practice. The Ukrainian government estimates that approximately 20,000 Ukrainian children have been taken by Russia, with only 1,819 successfully returned.

The issue of abducted children resonated with members of the committee, who sought further measures Canada could implement to facilitate family reunification. Plakhotniuk urged for comprehensive action, stating, “Collect evidence, present it to the court, and then bring perpetrators to justice. Justice should prevail.”

Kinnear noted Canada’s role in assembling a coalition of allied countries to address the issue of returning abducted Ukrainian children, emphasizing the importance of collaboration with nations close to Ukraine and Russia. “It’s really about bringing all of these players together to do things that Canada can’t do by ourselves,” she said.

Additionally, Kinnear expressed satisfaction with Ukraine’s response to a recent scandal involving the embezzlement of $100 million linked to top officials in Ukraine’s state nuclear power company. The resignation of two government members is a step toward addressing corruption, a significant hurdle for Ukraine in its pursuit of European Union membership. “Canada sees Ukraine’s future as being within the Euro-Atlantic family,” Kinnear stated, advocating for strengthened rule of law and governance as crucial for EU accession and future investment opportunities.

In summary, Canada remains committed to supporting Ukraine through military assistance, sanctions against Russia, and collaborative international efforts to address humanitarian crises stemming from the ongoing conflict. As the situation evolves, Canadian officials continue to express determination in applying pressure to facilitate a peaceful resolution to the war.