Canada’s Ukraine support questioned amid Russia standoff. Is it enough?

Is Canada's current support to Ukraine enough to deter Russia from pursuing an armed conflict, like many western nations fear it will? Experts weigh in.

In a tweet sent just after midnight on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Canada for its latest offering of support amid its standoff with Russia.

Zelenskyy was “grateful” Ottawa decided to extend its military training mission, Operation Unifier, for three years, as well as provide non-lethal equipment, enhanced intelligence sharing and resources to defend against cyberattacks.

But is it enough to deter Russia from pursuing an armed conflict with Ukraine, like many western nations fear it will? Aurel Braun doesn’t think so.

“I want to emphasize that I would not be dismissive of the Canadian aid, but we have to contextualize – It doesn’t do what’s needed,” said Braun, a professor of international relations and political science at the University of Toronto.

“We are doing considerably less than we are capable of doing, and we are at the 11th hour.”

Mykhailo Honchar, a Ukrainian expert on international energy and security relations, agrees.

“Canada has an opportunity to take a more active position … including with weapon supplies,” he told Global News’ Crystal Goomansingh in Kyiv on Thursday.

“We Ukrainians hope Canada will be more active in the context of political diplomatic support, including … preventive sanctions against Russia, not reactive.”