It is an example of the influence of critical infrastructure over geopolitics.
The long-term worry for me is if the world’s nations can stay the course on Russian sanctions, or if support for Ukraine will cave overtime.
Ukraine expresses ‘deep disappointment’ as Canada sends back six Russian turbines to Germany
STEVEN CHASE and ROBERT FIFE
The Globe and Mail
JULY 10, 2022
UPDATED 17 MINUTES AGO
The Ukrainian government on Sunday expressed “deep disappointment” at Canada’s decision to send back repaired Russian-owned gas turbines that had been stranded in Montreal because of sanctions against Moscow, warning the move would embolden Russia to keep using energy as a weapon.
Russia last month cited the delayed return of the turbine equipment, which Germany’s Siemens Energy had been servicing in Canada, as the reason behind its flow reduction to 40 per cent of capacity through the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline Russia to Germany.
The Canadian government on Saturday announced it would return the turbines – using an exemption to get around Ottawa’s sanctions on Russia – citing requests from Germany and other European countries trying to replenish gas stocks for the winter months ahead.
The grounded turbines will be sent to Germany, whose government will then turn them over to Russia.Keean Nembhard, press secretary to Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, said there are in fact six turbines.
Also, as the Globe and Mail first reported on Sunday, the number of Nord Stream turbines stuck in Montreal and being sent back is far larger than originally believed.In a statement posted on Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, Kyiv described Canada’s decision to issue an export permit allowing the return of the repaired turbine equipment as the “adjustment of the sanctions regime to the whims of Russia”.”
“This dangerous precedent violates international solidarity, goes against the principle of the rule of law and will have only one consequence: it will strengthen Moscow’s sense of impunity,” the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ukrainian Ministry of Energy said.
In the statement, Kyiv also disputed Russia’s contention that it required the returned turbine equipment to fulfill its natural gas deliveries to Germany.
The Ukrainian government said Russia’s demand for the return of the turbine equipment in order to resume higher volume of natural gas deliveries to Europe amounted to blackmail and unconventional warfare tactics. Returning the gear “will allow Russia to continue to use energy as a tool of hybrid warfare against Europe,” Kyiv said.
Canadians of Ukrainian origin protested the decision Sunday on Parliament Hill and outside Montreal’s City Hall. Later on Sunday protesters also gathered outside Siemens Canada offices in the Montreal suburb of Dorval.Canadian sanctions law contains mechanisms allowing the government to issue export permits even when such an export might be prohibited.
On Saturday, Canada’s Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson announce the repaired turbine equipment would be sent to Germany under a special export permit. The indirect process will allow Canada to say it hasn’t reneged on sanctions it introduced after the invasion of Ukraine.
Those restrictions forbid exports of certain goods and technologies to Russia, including the turbine.
“Canada will grant a time-limited and revocable permit for Siemens Canada to allow the return of repaired Nordstream 1 turbines to Germany, supporting Europe’s ability to access reliable and affordable energy as they continue to transition away from Russian oil and gas,” Mr. Wilkinson said in his statement. “Absent a necessary supply of natural gas, the German economy will suffer very significant hardship and Germans themselves will be at risk of being unable to heat their homes as winter approaches.”
German officials have said Moscow is using the sanctioned turbine as an excuse to apply economic pressure to Europe. Returning the turbine would eliminate that excuse, German Vice-Chancellor and Economy Minister Robert Habeck said earlier this week in an appeal to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
In his statement, Mr. Wilkinson explained why Canada is acting to help Germany at the expense of sanctions that were intended to assist Ukraine. “In the lead up to the winter months, the Russian regime and its propaganda arms are seeking to exploit the instability they have created to justify further destabilizing European energy security,” he said. “In doing so, President Putin also hopes to sow division amongst Allies, who have shown unprecedented unity in support of Ukraine. We cannot allow this to happen.”
He added that Canada will continue to impose sanctions on Moscow and is working with European leaders to end dependency on Russian gas imports as quickly as possible, and to stabilize energy markets.Alexandra Chyczij, national president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, issued a strongly worded statement, saying the government had bowed to “Russian blackmail.”
“In acceding to Germany’s request, Canada will not only contravene its policy of isolating Russia, it will set a dangerous precedent that will lead to the weakening of the sanctions regime imposed on Russia,” she said.
She added that the ramifications of “Canada’s capitulation to Russian ultimatums” will be far-reaching.
“A precedent has been set wherein the Russians know that at the first sign of difficulty, our government will submit to Russian blackmail and energy terrorism. Inevitably this will embolden Russia to further aggression – making Ukraine, the European Union, and Canada less secure.”
Ms. Chyczij added that past appeasements of the Kremlin led to the Russian occupation of Crimea and the Donbas in 2014, and to the full-scale attack on Ukraine on Feb. 24 of this year.
“This decision will ensure that the coffers of the Russian state budget will continue to be filled with European money which will be used to finance Russia’s genocide against the Ukrainian people,” she said.
Conservative foreign critic Michael Chong said Sunday that the Liberal government’s decision will “perversely” increase Russian gas exports to Europe, even as Ottawa denies new pipelines and liquefied natural gas terminals that would increase Canadian gas exports.
“Instead of circumventing the global sanctions package meant to punish Putin, the Liberal government should approve new pipelines and liquid natural gas terminals so that Canadian natural gas can displace Russian energy supplies to Europe,” he said in a statement signed by several other Conservative MPs.
The Trudeau government moved quickly on Saturday to blunt criticism by announcing new sanctions on Russia. Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said in a statement that the restrictions will apply to “pipeline transport and the manufacturing of metals and of transport, computer, electronic and electrical equipment, as well as of machinery.”
Once the measures are in effect, she said, Canadian businesses will have 60 days to conclude contracts with targeted Russian industries and services.Sabine Sparwasser, Germany’s envoy to Canada, expressed her country’s gratitude to Ottawa for releasing the turbines.
“We know it was not an easy one. But it is crucial to help Canada’s European Allies to steadily build out the independence from Russian Energy and it preserves our unity,” she said in a statement.
Germany remains an ally of Ukraine in the war against Russia through military and financial support, and through its backing of Kyiv’s candidacy for membership in the European Union, she added.
Mr. Trudeau was under intense pressure from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who raised the turbine issue with him at the G7 summit in late June. Mr. Scholz is planning a trade visit to Canada on Aug. 22 and 23 to push for the construction of liquefied natural gas export facilities on Canada’s East Coast.
Germany is also interested in investing in green hydrogen projects, and in the mining of critical minerals that are essential to the country’s automotive, chemicals and high-tech industries.
With files from Reuters and Associated Press
