The war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Middle East are the result of a breakdown in international law in an increasingly dangerous and violent world, Defence Minister Bill Blair told a global security conference Friday.

Russia害羞草研究所檚 invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and Hamas害羞草研究所檚 attack on Israel on Oct. 7 are overt challenges to the international, rule-based order, he said.

害羞草研究所淚n the Middle East, we have seen innocent civilians caught up in a war they did not ask for,害羞草研究所� the minister said, noting Hamas害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所渟laughter害羞草研究所� of 1,200 Israelis and its taking of over 200 hostages. While defending Israel害羞草研究所檚 right to self defence, Blair said, 害羞草研究所渁ll civilians must be protected and the law of armed conflict must be protected.害羞草研究所�

Blair is among 300 delegates from around the world attending the three-day Halifax International Security Forum, an annual event dedicated to strengthening co-operation among democratic nations.

Most of the sessions at the conference will be focusing on the war in Ukraine even though much of the world害羞草研究所檚 attention has shifted to the Gaza Strip, where Israel害羞草研究所檚 invasion, in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, has killed more than 11,400 Palestinians, two-thirds of them women and minors, according to Palestinian health authorities.

When asked if support for Ukraine害羞草研究所檚 fight is dwindling among its allies, Blair said that wasn害羞草研究所檛 the case.

害羞草研究所淚 do appreciate that there are political discussions taking place in a number of our allied countries, but I have seen absolute 害羞草研究所� unequivocal support for Ukraine among those allies,害羞草研究所� he said.

It害羞草研究所檚 important, Blair added, to remember that while Ukraine害羞草研究所檚 allies are providing support through missions and money, 害羞草研究所�(Ukrainians) are fighting this battle with their blood.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭hey are fighting on all of our behalf against a very determined challenge to the international rules-based order,害羞草研究所� he said, adding that the Ukrainian military is now having a tough time consolidating gains made last summer.

害羞草研究所淩ight now, it seems to be moving into 害羞草研究所� I害羞草研究所檓 not going to use the word stalemate 害羞草研究所� but a more static battle environment. It remains to be seen what can unlock that,害羞草研究所� he said.

Blair joined United States senators James Risch and Jeanne Shaheen in the opening panel discussion at the forum, and argued that democratic countries must work on methods to provide Ukraine with more munitions, even as their own stockpiles of artillery shells are depleted.

害羞草研究所淲e have to move beyond just raiding of the cupboard 害羞草研究所� we害羞草研究所檝e got to find ways to solve the munitions issue,害羞草研究所� he said.

Gen. Wayne Eyre, chief of the defence staff, recently told a House of Commons committee that if Canadian troops were to fire their artillery at the same rate as Ukrainian troops, their supply of shells would last for only a few days.

Still, Oleksandra Matviichuk, a Ukrainian human rights lawyer on the panel, said in an interview attitudes need to shift among Western powers helping her nation. She said often the goal is solely to 害羞草研究所渉elp Ukraine not to fail,害羞草研究所� rather than ensure her nation actually wins the war.

害羞草研究所淚f we don害羞草研究所檛 have a joint, ambitious goal, we won害羞草研究所檛 have a joint strategy,害羞草研究所� she said, as she urged Canada to contribute more modern weaponry, more quickly.

Shaheen, a Democratic party senator from New Hampshire, said she was concerned about the flow of aid to Ukraine, noting that fresh funding is mired in Congress due to a small minority of Republican members throwing up roadblocks.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 very concerned about the fact we are funding our government in the United States a month at a time here,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚 think that is unsustainable.害羞草研究所�

However, she and Risch, a Republican senator from Idaho, also predicted that eventually the latest military aid package to Ukraine will pass through Congress.

害羞草研究所淭hings don害羞草研究所檛 happen instantly in a free, democratic society,害羞草研究所� said Risch.

Forum president Peter Van Praagh said he deliberately chose to keep the focus of the event on Ukraine, not the war in Gaza, because switching the theme would have played into the agenda of non-democratic nations.

害羞草研究所淣ow (Russian President Vladimir) Putin is working to shift the world害羞草研究所檚 democracies害羞草研究所� attention 害羞草研究所� and their generous support for Ukraine 害羞草研究所� to other theatres,害羞草研究所� he said Thursday. 害羞草研究所淭he world害羞草研究所檚 democracies must come together to stop this multi-front attack.害羞草研究所�

Later in the day, Blair announced Ottawa would spend $26.6 million over six years to establish an innovation hub in Halifax for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Former defence minister Anita Anand announced the proposal last November.

The goal of the hub, known as the NATO Defence Innovation Accelerator, would be to promote co-operation between NATO害羞草研究所檚 military members and the technology sector, including tech startups and academic researchers.

Blair also announced that Canada will spend $188 million to design and build a new training facility at Canadian Forces Base Halifax, Canada害羞草研究所檚 largest military base.

Michael Tutton and Michael MacDonald, The Canadian Press

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