Hillier, a retired general who was CDS from 2005 to 2008, said Russian President Vladimir Putin may see the decision as a “sign of encouragement” and a signal that Western sanctions in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will ease in future. “This decision to send the turbines back will be seen in hindsight … as the straw that broke the camel’s back and we may start to see a relaxation of pressure from NATO, from the West in general,” he said. Russia says the turbines are needed to increase gas production on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to northeastern Germany. They were in Montreal for repairs, but the Canadian government announced a temporary and revocable suspension of sanctions on Russia so they could be sent back to Europe. Federal government ministers defended the decision, saying it was necessary to meet Germany’s energy needs. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized the government for the move, warning that Putin would see it as a sign of weakness. At a news conference Tuesday in Bowen Island, BC, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defended the decision by blaming Russia. “Russia is choosing to weaponize energy policy as a way to continue its attack on Ukraine, but also as a way to divide our Western allies among us, as well as to undermine public support for our strong pro-Ukraine and anti-Ukraine stance. of Russia”. Trudeau said. He said the tactic would not work and Canada and its allies would remain united in their opposition to Russia. “This decision was difficult, but it was the right one to ensure that we continue to stand together against Putin’s illegal war in support of Ukraine,” Trudeau said. Hillier said that after Russia’s invasion and Ukraine’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula in 2014, NATO allies failed to maintain sanctions pressure on Russia. He said he feared something similar would happen with the sanctions imposed on Russia now. “I’m concerned that the turbine may be the decision that’s starting to happen now,” Hillier said. Hillier made the comments at a news conference to discuss his new role as chairman of the Strategic Advisory Council at the Ukrainian World Congress. The council also includes two high-profile former U.S. generals — Clark, the former top commander of NATO allies in Europe, and Petraeus, who commanded U.S. forces in Afghanistan and was briefly director of the CIA. The council will advise Ukraine’s international defense agency on the supply and delivery of military kit to the Ukrainian military. Hillier said his position on the Canadian government’s decision on the turbine is “a little harder” than those expressed by Clark and Petraeus at the event.
NATO must maintain unity against Russia: former generals
Clark said the decision to return the turbines was an example of how sanctions on Russia should be flexible. “You have to have resilience, you have to bend but not break,” Clark said. “It requires the art of diplomacy and compromise.” But Clark criticized the German government’s decision to “accommodate” Russia in the years leading up to the war in Ukraine by buying Russian gas. He added that the debate over the turbine decision has distracted governments from what he says is a more important issue – the war in Ukraine. Petraeus agreed with Clark. He said that depriving Germany of energy would have threatened the coherence of NATO’s approach to Russia. “I generally agree with Canada’s decision. It was very harsh,” Petraeus said. Former CIA Director and US Army General David Petraeus speaks to the media after a meeting with Donald Trump in New York on November 28, 2016. On Tuesday, Petraeus endorsed the Canadian government’s decision to send repaired turbines for the pipeline Nord Stream One back to Europe. (Lucas Jackson/Reuters) “I think Canada weighed all the options, the information, the pros and cons and ultimately made a decision that was in the best interest, really, of everyone involved.” Petraeus pointed optimistically to the broader trend of NATO expansion and countries taking a critical look at their economic relations with Russia. “I’m very excited that the direction going forward is to continue to make these sanctions more difficult for Russia,” he said. “But there should be, from time to time … judicious exceptions to the rule, because you might lose that unity that is so critical in the future.”
Council will provide advice on equipment, fundraising
The retired generals said they would not offer the Ukrainian military operational adviser in their new roles. “We are not going to provide advice to commanders on the ground on a day-to-day basis about strategy and tactics,” Hillier said. Instead, the council will focus on advising the Ukrainian World Congress on the purchase of equipment and its delivery to the Territorial Defense Units of Ukraine. The quarterbacks also plan to help the conference with fundraising. Hillier said the council’s priority is to get protective and medical equipment, such as ballistic goggles, protective vests and first aid kits, to members of the Ukrainian militia. He estimates it will cost $2,500 to equip one person and said the council’s goal is to equip 100,000 people. Hillier, who recruited the other generals to the council, said he was inspired to take on the role after visiting Ukraine last month and hearing about Ukrainians fighting in civilian cars against Russian tanks and armored vehicles. “I am convinced that we can do much better and, at least, we can give them this protective equipment,” he said.
