Foreign Affairs Minister M茅lanie Joly is suggesting Canada would support a policy of allowing Ukraine to use NATO-provided arms inside Russia, amid a debate among members of the military alliance.

害羞草研究所淲e believe that we need to be forward-leaning on this question,害羞草研究所� Joly said at a Wednesday news conference in Stockholm, Sweden.

害羞草研究所淩ussia has no red line, and so that is why we need to make sure that when it comes (to) Ukraine害羞草研究所檚 defence, that we害羞草研究所檙e there to help them.害羞草研究所�

Ukraine has repeatedly sought permission to use weapons donated by NATO countries inside Russian territory, particularly as Ukraine runs short of weapons and faces repeated strikes from Russia.

The United States and Germany have at various points warned about the risk of escalating the situation, as they try to avoid a direct war with Russia.

France and countries bordering Russia in the Baltic region have generally supported the use of donated arms to strike military targets in Russia, such as ammunition factories and sites from which missiles are launched.

Joly said the issue will be 害羞草研究所渢he core of our conversations害羞草研究所� between European foreign ministers this week, who are preparing for the NATO leaders害羞草研究所� summit in Washington, D.C., this July.

On Monday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said members should lift restrictions on Ukraine because 害羞草研究所渢he right to self-defence includes hitting legitimate targets outside Ukraine.害羞草研究所�

On Thursday, the Associated Press reported that three U.S. officials said President Joe Biden had given Ukraine the go-ahead to use American weaponry to strike inside Russia, for the limited purpose of defending Kharkiv, a major city under heavy attack.

Joly said Canada has no restrictions on how Ukraine uses the arms it sends, a fact that Russia害羞草研究所檚 embassy in Ottawa said was unsurprising.

害羞草研究所�(The) Canadian government has been at the front of the anti-Russian policy of the West, particularly in the context of Ukraine,害羞草研究所� a spokesperson said in a statement Thursday.

害羞草研究所淩ussia possesses all the military and technical capabilities necessary to neutralize this threat, as well as to undertake preventive measures to counter it,害羞草研究所� the embassy wrote.

It added that any officials from NATO countries in Ukraine helping to transfer equipment or train Ukrainians 害羞草研究所渁re a legitimate target for the Russian armed forces.害羞草研究所�

Ukrainian ambassador Yuliya Kovaliv confirmed to the Senate foreign-affairs committee Wednesday that Canada has not put restrictions on how Ukraine uses its military aid.

害羞草研究所淭he type of the weapons that Canada has been donating to us was mostly tanks, armoured vehicles (and) ammunition that physically are mostly (being used) by our soldiers in our territory,害羞草研究所� Kovaliv testified.

Kati Csaba, head of the Ukraine Bureau at Global Affairs Canada, told the committee that her team is trying to keep up domestic support for Ukraine, while defending Ottawa害羞草研究所檚 financial support to the country.

害羞草研究所淚t is absolutely a risk, Ukraine fatigue, and especially in light of more recent crises,害羞草研究所� she testified.

害羞草研究所淲e need to be conscious of the fact that we cannot just rely on Canadian support for Ukraine to be eternal; we need to keep actively pursuing that.害羞草研究所�

Sen. Amina Gerba noted that the Kiel Institute害羞草研究所檚 Ukraine Support Tracker pegs Canada in 20th place for its share of national income dedicated to the country.

She pointed out that two Universit茅 du Qu茅bec 脿 Montr茅al professors argued in a February book that this does not match Ottawa害羞草研究所檚 rhetoric of support for Ukraine.

Csaba said analysts use a range of methods to calculate funding. Her team is 害羞草研究所渄oing everything we can for this support to continue,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淥ur support to Ukraine is well known and appreciated by allies and partners, and I haven害羞草研究所檛 seen a case where we were asked to stand up in that context where we did not.害羞草研究所�

Csaba added that Canada is making 害羞草研究所渁 concerted effort害羞草研究所� in its embassies abroad to convince other countries to resist 害羞草研究所渢he disinformation that Russia is so effectively spreading害羞草研究所� about the war.

She said a short-term priority is getting developing countries to attend a Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland in mid-June.

害羞草研究所淭here is very much this feeling that we do need to bring these countries that are on the fence, that are not necessarily willing to speak up to Russia and say, 害羞草研究所榊ou know, what you害羞草研究所檙e doing is wrong.害羞草研究所� But we want them to be attending and listening, at a very minimum, to the positions of Ukraine,害羞草研究所� Csaba testified.

害羞草研究所淢any countries will not be convinced necessarily, but at least they will come away with some new perspectives.害羞草研究所�

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