Canada’s Ukrainian community has urged Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to refuse to jeopardize the country’s sanctions on Russia to return a turbine that Moscow says is vital to delivering natural gas to Germany.
Russia’s state-controlled Gazprom slashed capacity along its Nord Stream 1 pipeline to just 40% of usual levels last month, citing the delayed return of equipment being serviced by Germany’s Siemens Energy in Canada.
Canada has one of the world’s largest Ukrainian diasporas outside of countries bordering Ukraine and has successfully pressured Ottawa to impose ever-tougher sanctions on Russia since it invaded Ukraine in February.
Ukrainian-Canadian Congress (UCC) national president Alexandra Chyczij wrote in a letter on Wednesday, urging Trudeau to see through Russia’s “obvious ploy” to divide Ukraine’s allies.
Ottawa should instead mediate a solution that does not involve a waiver of sanctions, she wrote in the letter, which was posted on UCC’s website.
“Any waiver of Canadian sanctions would be seen as a capitulation to Russian blackmail and energy terrorism and would only serve to strengthen the Russian terror state,” Chyczij said.
In an interview, UCC CEO Ihor Michalchyshyn said the group acts independently and receives no instructions from Kyiv regarding lobbying in Ottawa regarding the turbine.
The Canadian government has not responded to UCC’s letter, he said.
“We didn’t get any assurances one way or the other,” Michalchyshyn said. “That’s why we’re very concerned.”
A Canadian government source said the Ukrainian government itself opposes the return of the turbine.
Trudeau’s office had no immediate comment on the letter.
“We will not stop imposing heavy costs on the Putin regime while its unwarranted invasion continues, and we will continue to support our European friends and allies,” said Ian Cameron, spokesman for Canada’s natural resources minister, in a statement.
The Russian embassy in Ottawa said Russia had no role to play in returning the turbine.
“It is an issue between Canada and Germany,” the embassy said in a statement. “We would welcome the release of the turbine, which could help restore gas flow to Europe.”
The technical problem with the turbine is just a Russian pretext, said Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck last week.
Canada, along with its western allies, has imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia after Moscow deployed troops to Ukraine in what the Kremlin calls a “military special operation”.