Prime Minister Stephen Harper says Canada stands 鈥渦nited鈥� with its G7 counterparts, NATO allies and the European Union in delivering a strong message to Russia about its actions in Ukraine.
Wrapping up his visit to The Hague for the Nuclear Security Summit, Harper said Tuesday that his government has been 鈥渙utspoken鈥� about the political turmoil in Ukraine partly because of 鈥渢he kinship we have with a million of Ukrainian Canadians.鈥�
After emergency talks on Monday, Harper and other G7 leaders decided to suspend their participation in the Group of Eight until Russia "changes course" in Ukraine.
In a move aimed at expressing support for the people of Ukraine, they also decided to skip the G8 summit scheduled for June in Sochi, Russia, opting to instead hold their own meeting in Brussels.
The leaders condemned Russia鈥檚 annexation of Crimea, a peninsula in southern Ukraine, and what they called an 鈥渋llegal referendum鈥� on the issue. They also said they are ready to 鈥渋ntensify actions,鈥� including co-ordinated sanctions, if Russia continues to 鈥渆scalate this situation.鈥�
Russia has already retaliated against Canada鈥檚 response by banning 13 Canadian lawmakers and officials from entering the country.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know on what basis they鈥檙e sanctioning Canada other than: 'We just don鈥檛 approve of their actions,'鈥� Harper said Tuesday.
He noted that Paul Grod, national president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, is on Russia鈥檚 blacklist.
鈥淭hey sanctioned a man for the sole reason that he鈥檚 Ukrainian,鈥� Harper said. 鈥淣ow what does that tell you about the mentality of that government?鈥�
On the nuclear summit front, Harper said Canada will support initiatives that address the threat of 鈥渘uclear terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.鈥�
A statement from the Prime Minister鈥檚 Office said two conventions were ratified at the summit to improve nuclear security.
Russia worried about G20: expert
John Kirton, director of the G8 Research Group at the University of Toronto, suggested earlier Tuesday that the Russian government is now also worried about its future in the G20.
Speculation that the Australian government may prevent Russian President Vladimir Putin from attending the G20 summit in Brisbane later this year has the Russians 鈥渃learly worried,鈥�
He said the G7 leaders鈥� decision to withdraw from the upcoming G8 summit in Sochi sends a 鈥減retty clear鈥� and 鈥渨ise鈥� signal to Russia. He said a seat at the G8 table is 鈥渟till there for Putin,鈥� but it鈥檚 now up to him to be invited back.
The G7 group consists of Canada, U.S., United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan. Russia joined in 1998 to form the G8 group, but G7 nations have been meeting separately over the years.
