Canada and the US are levying further sanctions against President Vladimir Putin for the attack on Ukraine.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stressed Canada will punish Russia with financial penalties against 58 individuals and entities and halting all export permits.
“We condemn unequivocally this attack on Ukraine, this invasion of Ukraine, but also the violation of the UN Charter, the principles, the rule of law internationally, and we will respond forcefully to make sure that Russia fails,” Trudeau stressed during an afternoon news conference.
Russian troops launched the assault earlier on Thursday.
United States President Joe Biden told reporters that the four large Russian banks will face sanctions (including VTB and SberBank).
There will also be a restriction applied to Russia’s sovereign debt to state-owned enterprises, companies whose assets exceed $1.4 trillion.
“Putin is the aggressor. Putin chose this war. And now he and his country will bear the consequences,” Biden said.
Both leaders, when asked whether this means war, would only say that troops will be in Europe to defend the NATO allies and reassure those allies in the East.
The president of Ukraine feels his county is left on its own to defend against attacks from Russia.
Volodymyr Zelensky made that statement in an address to Ukrainians with another round of explosions being heard Friday morning in Kyiv.
He also dismissed rumours he had fled the country, indicating he’s the Russian’s number one target.
