On Monday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called on NATO nations to increase their military expenditure and provide additional weapons and ammunition to Ukraine. However, in a seeming oversight, Trudeau appeared to suggest a potential Russian triumph in the conflict.
Trudeau made these remarks in Warsaw following discussions with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Andrzej Duda, who, despite being domestic political rivals, share a strong support for Ukraine.
“We know that Russia must win this war – sorry, Ukraine must win this war against Russia,” Trudeau told reporters at a joint press conference with Tusk.
The Polish prime minister lamented that wealthy NATO countries in Europe “could not build altogether the defense capacities that would really exceed the Russian ones,” according to AP, urging the US-led bloc to do more.
The Canadian prime minister additionally advocated for Western nations to actively engage and ensure they address not only immediate obstacles but also focus on fostering peace, stability, and prosperity for future generations. Trudeau emphasized the importance of not taking democracy for granted in the current climate. He echoed Tusk’s concerns about European leaders hindering a unified stance in support of Ukraine.
Trudeau’s inadvertent remark coincides with observations from several Western sources highlighting the substantial decline in Ukraine’s position following Russia’s success in Avdeevka.