The Canadian military could soon send troops to Ukraine provided “certain conditions” are met, Defense Minister Bill Blair has revealed.
Speaking during a news conference at Canadian Forces Base Edmonton, Blair said there should be changes in battlefield conditions before Canadian troops could return to the war-ravaged nation.
He did not provide specific details regarding these changes, but he could be pertaining to the current situation where Russian troops reportedly have gained an upper hand.
Prior to the February 2022 invasion, Ottawa deployed a number of military personnel in Ukraine to provide combat training to Ukrainian soldiers.
But the Canadian military moved its training operations to the UK, Latvia, and Poland when Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his “special military operation” in Ukraine.
“Right now, circumstances are not appropriate for that training to take place in Ukraine, but we’re going to continue to train,” Blair said, as quoted by Global News.
‘Non-Combat Only’
Discussions about sending foreign troops to Ukraine began when French President Emmanuel Macron claimed that the West “will do everything needed so Russia cannot win the war.”
“There’s no consensus today to send in an official, endorsed manner troops on the ground,” he stressed. “But in terms of dynamics, nothing can be ruled out.”
Blair said if Canada were to send troops back to the war-torn nation, they would only fulfill “non-combat roles.”
These could include providing Ukrainian troops with needed assistance in demining, cyber operations, or weapons production.
He also pointed out that if Canadian troops were to return to Ukraine, they would be far from the frontlines to avoid direct involvement in the conflict.
“My first priority was to ensure the safety of all Canadian Forces personnel if they are to undertake training missions,” Blair said. “We’re going to continue to do it safely in Poland.”
Putin’s Warning
Last week, Putin warned against any plan to send Western troops to Ukraine to aid combat missions.
He said such deeper involvement could risk a global nuclear conflict.
Germany, Poland, and the US have distanced themselves from Macron’s comments, saying they would not be sending troops to their European ally.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also ruled out the possibility of directly involving its troops in the war but said the alliance would continue to support Kyiv.