Canada, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania Sanction Georgian Officials
Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly, Dec. 2, 2024. X/ @netgazeti
December 2, 2024 Hour: 1:23 pm
Those four countries are also interested in working with the upcoming Trump administration to support Ukraine.
On Monday, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly stated that her country was joining Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in imposing sanctions on Georgian officials who have attempted to suppress protests against the decision to halt efforts to join the European Union
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“We are deeply concerned about what Russia is attempting to do in Georgia, and in this regard, we will follow the lead of the Baltic countries. We will sanction key individuals as well as companies and entities involved in human rights violations or cases of corruption, based on our own sanctions regime,” she said during the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Riga, Latvia.
“In the coming days, you will hear more from me on this topic,” the Canadian FM Joly added, although Lithuania and Estonia have already published lists of sanctioned officials.
The four foreign ministers also discussed the upcoming change in administration in the United States, as Donald Trump is set to replace President Joe Biden. Joly noted that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had recently held a three-hour meeting with Trump at his residence in Mar-a-Lago, where a variety of topics, including Ukraine, were discussed.
Joly highlighted that the incoming Trump administration sees the connection between events in Ukraine and Europe and potential developments in the “Indo-Pacific” region, where China threatens Taiwan and supports Russia’s war against Ukraine, while North Korean troops are assisting Moscow’s soldiers.
“This is something the Trump administration is much more attuned to, and we must continue engaging with them. My work has also involved speaking with many U.S. senators. On the Republican side, I have been in close contact with Lindsey Graham and Jim Critch, who are key players in foreign policy. We have also been in touch with many of the upcoming leaders of the Trump administration,” she said.
Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze remarked: “As far as I’m concerned, we’ve had excellent working relationships with all U.S. administrations, and we look forward to working again with Mr. Trump’s administration.”
“We need to focus on Ukraine every day,” said Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, who added that NATO membership is the only security guarantee for Ukraine.
teleSUR/ JF Source: EFE
