Montreal, July 16, 2022 (AFP) – Russia’s participation in the G20 ministerial meeting in Indonesia was “absurd” and akin to “inviting an arsonist to a meeting of firefighters”, criticized this Saturday (16 ), the Minister of Finance of Canada, Chrystia Freeland.

“We were firmly and clearly opposed to the presence of Russian officials,” recalled the Canadian Deputy Prime Minister, of Ukrainian origin, during a telephone press conference.

The “illegal invasion” of Ukraine by Russia is solely responsible for the “economic consequences” that the whole world is currently suffering, Freeland added, before attacking the Russian delegation.

“Russian technocrats working to finance the war machine of [o presidente russo Vladimir] Putin is an active accomplice in Russia’s war crimes, as are his generals,” he said.

The meeting of G20 economy ministers and central bank governors in Indonesia ended on Saturday without a joint statement, following disagreements over Russia’s offensive in Ukraine.

Freeland also defended Canada’s decision to allow repaired turbines destined for Russia’s Nordstream gas pipeline to return to Germany, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called “unacceptable.”

Although it was “very difficult” to make, it was “the right decision”, argued the Canadian minister. “The energy challenges facing Germany and our European partners are real and Canada is aware of them,” he added.

Freeland noted that the United States had publicly welcomed the choice and that Germany had made it clear that “its ability to maintain its support for Ukraine could be at risk.”

Berlin demanded the return of this equipment to Europe despite the sanctions against Russia, in the hope of avoiding a cut in the flow of the gas pipeline operated by the Russian group Gazprom.

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