Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned this Sunday, in a telephone interview with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, that Ukrainians would never accept Canada’s decision to send turbines back to Germany “in violation of the sanctions regime” against Russia.

It was the first meeting between the two leaders since the Canadian decision last week to allow the return to Europe of turbines repaired in Canada and intended for the Russian gas pipeline Nord Stream. Volodymyr Zelensky strongly criticized this decision, deeming it “unacceptable”. In his daily statement posted on the Presidency website, Zelensky says he told Justin Trudeau that “Ukrainians would never accept Canada’s decision on Nord Stream turbines”

“It’s a matter of compliance with sanctions. If there is a violation now, it won’t be long before there are others,” the president added, accusing Russia of gas blackmail and pointing out that there were other ways to get Russian gas to Europe.

“A question of compliance with sanctions”

Ukraine’s president was less specific in a post-conversation tweet saying, without directly addressing the turbine issue, that the international stance on sanctions should ‘be principled’ and that pressure on Moscow should be increased rather than lightened. Ottawa justifies its decision, which exempts these turbines repaired in Canada from the economic sanctions imposed on Russia, by the need not to compromise the energy supply of Europe and Germany in particular.

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