Canada Appoints Russia Critic Sanctioned By Moscow As Foreign Minister
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on January 10 appointed Chrystia Freeland, a critic of Russia who has been sanctioned by Moscow, as the country's new top diplomat.
Freeland, who is of Ukrainian descent, has been a harsh critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Moscow barred Freeland from entering Russia in 2014 as part of a series of retaliatory sanctions against Canada in response to Ottawa's blacklisting of many Russian officials to punish the country for its illegal annexation of Crimea.
Freeland tweeted afterward: "It's an honor to be on Putin's sanction list."
In 2015, she wrote an article for Quartz magazine titled My Ukraine, And Putin's Big Lie.
Trudeau, in announcing Freeland's appointment as foreign affairs minister, sidestepped a question from reporters over whether her rocky relationship with Russia would have an impact.
Freeland, who once lived in Moscow during her career as a financial correspondent, said that whether she will be able to travel to Russia as foreign minister was not up to her.
"That's a question for Moscow," she said. "I am a very strong supporter of our government's view that it is important to engage with all countries around the world, very much including Russia."
Based on reporting by AFP and Reuters
We are now closing the live blog for today, but we'll be back again tomorrow morning to follow all the latest developments. Until then, you can keep up with all our other Ukraine coverage here.
More on the new Canadian foreign minister, who has Ukrainian roots:
Some pretty heavy hitters have signed this letter, including former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt, former Slovak Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda, and former Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves:
Here's a taster:
We -- decision-makers and public figures from across Europe -- welcome your election as America’s 45th president. We are eager to work with your administration to sustain our powerful transatlantic Alliance, jointly defending our way of life at a time of great peril.
Russia’s continuing efforts to destabilize Ukraine, and its illegal annexation of Crimea, threaten the peace, predictability and security that Americans and Europeans created together through our victory in the Cold War. We are concerned that the prospect of a new grand bargain with Russia will endanger this historic achievement.
It would be a grave mistake to end the current sanctions on Russia or accept the division and subjugation of Ukraine. Doing so would demoralize those seeking a Euro-Atlantic orientation for that country. It would also destabilize our Eastern neighborhood economically and give heart to extremist, oligarchic and anti-Western elements there.
The wider damage would be grave too. The aftershocks of such a deal would shake American credibility with allies in Europe and elsewhere. The rules-based international order on which Western security has depended for decades would be weakened. The alliances that are the true source of American greatness would erode: countries that have expended blood, treasure and political capital in support of transatlantic security will wonder if America is now no longer a dependable friend.
Have no doubt: Vladimir Putin is not America’s ally. Neither is he a trustworthy international partner. Both of the presidents who preceded you tried in their own ways to deal with Russia’s leadership in the spirit of trust and friendship. Big mistake: Putin treated their good intentions as opportunities.
Read the entire letter with its full list of signatories here