Conservative MP James Bezan says Canada should send lethal weapons to Ukraine as the country hopes to ward off a potential invasion by Russian troops.
Liberal, Conservative and NDP members of Parliament had different answers to Evan Solomon’s question on CTV’s Power Play Tuesday asking them if Canada should send arms to Ukraine.
“Right now our goal is de-escalate the situation,” said Liberal MP Rob Oliphant, the foreign affairs parliamentary secretary. “The burden is on Russia to do that and we have been very clear about that.”
Bezan, his party’s deputy opposition whip, told Power Play he was disappointed Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly went to Kyiv and “didn’t offer anything to the governmenxjmtzywt of Ukraine.”
Bezan said his party has been calling for years on the Liberals to deliver weapons to Ukraine.
NDP foreign affairs critic Heather McPherson argued Canada should not send weapons to Ukraine, saying Canada has not explored every diplomatic tool in its arsenal.
“I don’t think this is the time to be giving arms to the Ukraine,” she told Power Play.
Joly met with her Ukrainian counterpart Tuesday and pledged to help Ukraine build up its capabilities against a potential Russian invasion. The United Kingdom pledged to send Ukraine anti-tank weaponry.
Joly met with her Ukrainian counterpart Tuesday and pledged to help Ukraine build up its capabilities against Russian invasion. She said the government will make a decision on sending weapons in a “timely manner.”
The United Kingdom pledged to send Ukraine anti-tank weaponry.
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Russian servicemen take part in a military drills at Molkino training ground in the Krasnodar region, Russia, Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021. Russia on Tuesday carried out military exercises in the Rostov region near its border with Ukraine. Tensions between the two countries rose in recent weeks amid reports of a Russian troop buildup near the border that stoked fears of a possible invasion — allegations Moscow denied and in turn blamed Ukraine for its own military buildup in the east of the country. (AP Photo)