Former Canadian deputy PM and foreign minister, Chrystia Freeland, has called on Ottawa to turn to European nuclear powers for deterrence against a “predatory” United States. Freeland made the suggestion on Wednesday during debates for the leadership of the country's Liberal Party.

The former FT Moscow correspondent, who is seeking to succeed Justin Trudeau following the party's recent electoral slump, characterized recent comments by US President Donald Trump, in which he questioned Canada's statehood, as a national security threat.

”What is different about this unleashed and empowered President Trump is he is clearly threatening our sovereignty and we need to respond,” she said. “The US is turning predator, and so what Canada needs to do is work closely with our democratic allies, our military allies.”

Freeland, whose grandfather, Michael Chomiak, was the Ukrainian editor of a Nazi-controlled newspaper during World War II, has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine and was once tipped for the NATO chief position.

I would start with our Nordic partners, specifically Denmark which is also being threatened, and our European NATO allies,” she told the debate, referring to Trump’s controversial offer to purchase Greenland.

”I would be sure that France and Britain were there who possess nuclear weapons, and I would be working urgently with those partners to build a closer security relationship that guarantees our security in a time when the United States can be a threat,” Freeland explained.

Trump’s remarks, along with those of others such as government efficiency czar Elon Musk, have fueled rising anti-US sentiment across Canada. In Toronto, for instance, some coffee shops have rebranded the Americano as ‘Canadiano’ as a form of protest.

Canada is set to vone for a new government this year. Freeland, whose resignation from Trudeau’s cabinet last December is widely regarded as a catalyst for his decision to resign, is competing against three other candidates to lead the party.

A seasoned foreign policy hawk, Freeland has criticized Trudeau for not taking Trump’s threats seriously, including potential trade tariffs. 

https://www.rt.com/news/613432-canada-nuclear-umbrella-freeland/

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YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT.

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.

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EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas is facing mounting resistance in key Western European capitals over her ambitious military aid plan for Ukraine, according to an analysis published on Monday in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) newspaper. France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal are now joining Hungary in opposing significant new contributions, according to the outlet.

Kallas, who took office in December, has struggled to win over skeptical governments. Her proposal to raise EU military support for Ukraine to €40 billion this year – aimed at offsetting dwindling US aid – has met stiff resistance, the newspaper’s political correspondent Thomas Gutschker wrote. Many member states have refused to commit beyond the €15 billion already pledged, with Berlin’s planned €3 billion contribution still awaiting approval. So far, Denmark alone has given more than France, Italy, and Spain combined.

According to the FAZ, Kallas’ efforts to push through the funding have been hampered by political missteps. The paper cited unnamed diplomats as arguing she failed to properly consult key EU nations before reviving the proposal, which was originally introduced by her predecessor, Josep Borrell. Her decision to remove high-ranking officials from Italy and Spain from the European External Action Service has also sparked backlash, with some EU governments reportedly “furious,” the FAZ reported.

Beyond military aid, Kallas has also weakened her standing in Washington. The article noted that her criticism of President Donald Trump’s Ukraine strategy – dismissing it as a “dirty deal” – led to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio canceling a scheduled meeting with her during her February visit. No senior US officials met with her during the trip, highlighting her diplomatic isolation. Meanwhile, EU leaders are pushing to be involved in US-Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations, fearing they are being sidelined.

Internally, Kallas’ handling of Ukraine policy has drawn sharp criticism from Berlin, the newspaper added. German officials were angered when on her first day in office she declared, “The European Union wants Ukraine to win this war.” While Eastern European nations share this view, Berlin has stuck to its more cautious official line of supporting Kiev “as long as necessary” without committing to victory as a stated goal.

Additionally, her move to explore confiscating frozen Russian assets in the EU has faltered. Although backed by the Baltic states, the proposal has encountered fierce resistance from Eurozone heavyweights, while the European Central Bank has warned of major financial risks if it is implemented. Faced with legal obstacles, Kallas has now reportedly quietly shelved the initiative.

As EU leaders prepare to discuss her plan again later this week, the FAZ suggested her political survival hinges on securing greater backing from French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. However, expectations are low and insiders are cautioning that significant new commitments are unlikely.

The FAZ concluded that Kallas’ position remains precarious, as she struggles to balance EU unity with her own hardline stance on Russia.

https://www.rt.com/news/614368-eu-kallas-alienated-states/

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YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT.

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.