Ukraine can't negotiate with 'gun to head,' says Joly as Trudeau presses allies
CTV
Canada's foreign affairs minister called for a ceasefire in Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Wednesday, arguing the Ukrainian government needs the breathing room as it heads into talks with the Putin regime.
"We need to make sure to support Ukrainians while diplomatic talks are happening by imposing maximum pressure... it's more than that. Because when we do so, we actually give them a lever to negotiate," Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said in an interview Wednesday.
"Right now, it's not about a diplomatic solution. It's about saving lives and so that's why it's a humanitarian corridor...and there needs to be a ceasefire," she added.
"Because you can't negotiate when you have a gun to your head."
Earlier Wednesday, Joly spoke with her Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, before he headed to Turkey for talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.
