Barry Ellsworth
12 February 2025•Update: 12 February 2025
TRENTON, Canada
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday that Ukrainians will decide how the war with Russia will end.
It was a clear message that contradicted US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth who said earlier that Ukraine should not expect to retain the borders it enjoyed before the invasion of Russia in 2014.
“One of the things Canada has been very clear about is that it is only Ukrainians who get to decide what is acceptable to them as the outcome of any peace negotiations,” Trudeau said at a news conference in Brussels where he is attending a Canada-EU leaders’ meeting.
“For us, it is very simple,” said the prime minister. “Ukrainians are busy defending their sovereignty, their democracy. They are busy standing up for the rule of law as it applies in all of our democracies.”
After dismissing Hegseth’s remarks, Trudeau tackled the thorny question of US President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian imports. He warned that the Canadian economy will suffer, but so will its neighbor to the south with higher prices and unemployment.
The latest word from the White House is that a 25% tariff to be placed on steel and aluminum March 12 will be on top of a 25% tariff already announced to take effect March 4.
“We do not want to be involved in a trade dispute,” said Trudeau. But while he did not mention specific tariff figures, he did say that “Canada will respond as appropriate.”
As for Trump’s desire to annex Canada and make it the 51st US state, Trudeau said he was proud of how Canadians have responded, choosing to cancel vacations to the warmth and sunshine of the southern US to stay in Canada and support the country’s economy.
