‘Difficult decision’: Trudeau defends exemption to send turbines for Russian pipeline

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is standing by his government’s decision to send turbines to Europe for a Russian pipeline, despite severe sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine.

“This was a very difficult decision,” he said Wednesday.

His government has been facing heavy criticism for deciding to give an exemption to Siemens Canada to send the six turbines to Germany.

Read more: Ukraine criticizes Canada over return of turbines for Russia-Germany pipeline

He says this was more about helping Canada’s European allies, as they face an energy crisis in their efforts to ween off Russian oil and gas, than it was about giving some sort of pass to the Russian regime.

“We have seen Russia consistently trying to weaponize energy as a way of creating division amongst the allies,” he said.

Trudeau maintains Canada has been “one of the strongest countries in the world” in standing with Ukraine.

“The sanctions that Canada is leading on — that we continue to push harder and harder — are aimed at (Vladimir) Putin and his enablers. They aren’t designed to harm our allies and their populations.”

Related articles: ‘It’s so difficult’: Ukrainian newcomers, families struggle to make ends meet in Canada

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has criticized Trudeau’s decision, calling it dangerous.

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress has followed the lead of the Ukrainian World Congress in seeking a judicial review to try and block the exemption for these turbines.

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