At the NATO leaders’ summit this week, Canada must offer strong support for the alliance. At the same time, it should take a more visible and assertive role to ensure its greater effectiveness.
Most importantly, Canada needs to seek a change in policy towards Russia. The West’s policy of accommodation has failed. Russia views it as weakness. Unhalted for its attack on a sovereign European state, Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin’s brazen exploitations are on the rise globally.
To deal with his menace, the anchoring of Ukraine—the only European state fighting Russia back militarily—to the Euro-Atlantic security community of democratic states is vital.
In this context, the impending meeting between the presidents of the United States and Russia following the NATO summit is problematic.
Of course, U.S. President Donald Trump can meet with any head of state. Given his highly personalized and erratic approach to foreign policy—including disregard for the traditional principles and practices of America and all democracies, and disdain for professionals and experts—Canada and its European allies need to approach the Trump-Putin “summit” on July 16 with the utmost caution.
Moreover, given the total lack of transparency and absence of any meaningful consultations, let alone consensus-building, there is an argument for Canada and like-minded states to dissociate themselves publicly before the meeting from any deals that may emerge from the encounter. We respect the U.S., but its current president does not speak for us. We should act measuredly but forthrightly in advance of any nefarious secret deals that could emerge from this meeting.
For this reason, Canada must speak up forcefully for NATO as a deterrent to war in today’s shaky world. Canada needs to seek recommitment from our European allies as additional support for our joint security. Europe is a pivotal counterpart to our currently strong bilateral relationship with the United States. On our own, Canada would be hard-pressed to assure our security, as in the Switzerland model.
NATO is needed. However, to strengthen its effectiveness in deterring aggression by revisionist Russia it requires the inclusion of the one state that is militarily engaged in maintaining our world order and standing up to Russia: Ukraine.
Putin’s long-established foreign policy is to expand globally. Ukraine’s courageous stand against his invasion is a pushback and he is still afraid of a decisive pushback from the alliance. Because of this, Russia disparages NATO and rages against Ukraine’s membership.
NATO needs Ukraine; world peace and security need Ukraine. It is the front in defence of our freedom and human dignity—alone. Its experience in combating Russia’s warfare in all its guises—cyber, terror, disinformation, kinetic—is unmatched and beyond any price tag.
Canada must argue that it’s time to go beyond sanctions: NATO must find the political will to give more help to Ukraine, whether via membership or stronger military support. Russia will be angered but its protests must be countered with a call to do what is right for us, given its illegal and remorseless disregard for international order, peace, and security.
In addition to this overarching goal of containing Russia, Canada can lead with some other measures at the summit.
It can convince NATO members to seek a majority at the United Nations to dislodge the Russian forces in Ukraine with a UN peacekeeping mission.
Furthermore, Germany’s agreement to allow Nord Stream 2, an export gas pipeline running from Russia to Europe, to proceed is frightening. Energy is as much a weapon in Putin’s hands as military hardware, cyber-attacks, propaganda, and subversion.
Nord Stream 2 is already successfully dividing Europe. It increases Europe’s dependency on Russia’s energy and contributes financially to Russia’s war machine not only against Ukraine but, ultimately, against Europe and against all of us. It makes Russia stronger and Europe weaker. Most terrifying, it invites further Russian aggression. It fails to hold Russia’s expansion in check. Nord Stream 2 is a monumental threat to all. It must be reversed.
In these difficult times, Canada must stake out our leadership position as the values bearer and strategic adult in the NATO room. It must seek support for itself and other democracies by countering Russia. Unpunished, it pushes forward.
Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland can lead globally by taking up the opposition defense critic James Bezan’s position that Putin is a war criminal and needs to be tried at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. At this summit, Canada and all NATO members must recognize unambiguously Ukraine’s determinative role in our security.
Ukraine needs NATO’s help to help us all.
