Trudeau warns against 'too much speculation' on how Russia's revolt affects Ukraine
CTV
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joined the leaders of Nordic countries on Monday in a statement to increase co-operation as like-minded partners, and to affirm their support for Ukraine.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joined the leaders of Nordic countries on Monday in a statement to increase co-operation as like-minded partners, and to affirm their support for Ukraine.
The leaders also expressed concern over the potential effects of this weekend's short-lived uprising in Russia, though Trudeau said it is too early to tell what it could mean for the war.
"I think everyone has a lot of questions about what this actually means, but we don't yet have a lot of answers. And too much speculation right now I think could probably be extremely counterproductive," Trudeau said in a joint news conference with Nordic prime ministers in Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland, where he was a special guest at their annual meeting.
"What we are doing, as we always will, is discussing possible challenges and possible consequences for our own security, for our people's security, for global stability. That is our highest preoccupation."
A brief armed revolt in Russia over the weekend by Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of the mercenary paramilitary organization called the Wagner Group, has loomed large over the two-day gathering in Iceland, pushing security to the top of the agenda for the countries.
Trudeau and the other leaders maintained that the conflict was an internal matter for Russia to address, while reaffirming their support for Ukraine.
"It is obviously an internal issue for Russia to work through. But we need to stand, continuing to be strong, in support of Ukraine, in support of the rules-based order," Trudeau said.
