Post #28077

🎙Comment by Ambassador of Russia to Canada Oleg Stepanov to the Newspaper "Izvestia" (January 19, 2026) ❓By early 2026, the trade restrictions imposed against the Russian Federation by the Carney government in mid-2025 have fully entered into force. How have these measures affected trade between Russia and Canada? Can one speak of a complete curtailment of economic cooperation between Moscow and Ottawa? 💬 Oleg Stepanov: As is well known, the Canadian authorities continue to pursue an extremely Russophobic policy. In their efforts to defend the interests of the Kiev regime, they aim to inflict a “strategic defeat” on our country. Unilateral and illegitimate sanctions are a tool used by the Canadian government to advance its anti-Russian ideological agenda. 📍In this context, it is important to stress that the restrictions introduced by Prime Minister Carney’s cabinet in mid-2025 did not fundamentally alter the situation. The course toward dismantling bilateral trade and economic cooperation was adopted by Ottawa back in February 2022. As a result, trade turnover between our countries collapsed from $ 2.2 billion in 2021 to just $ 98 million in 2024. ❗️It is worth recalling that the Canadian authorities have consistently and deliberately pressured their own economic operators, in effect banning any forms of cooperation with Russian counterparts. Canadian entrepreneurs are being intimidated, with any business contacts with Russia equated to "supporting the aggressor". 🇷🇺 In Russia, of course, we fully understand that these so-called "maple" sanctions are a fiction. They have no practical impact. It is political posturing, aimed partly at the domestic audience and partly at demonstrating loyalty to the Western Russophobic club. Bilateral relations are already in a state of deep freeze. The responsibility for the consequences of this shortsighted policy lies entirely with the Canadian leadership. ❓Does the discussion of confiscating frozen Russian assets continue within Canada’s ruling circles? Is Ottawa considering measures to impose an indefinite freeze on Russian assets even if European restrictions are lifted? 💬 Oleg Stepanov: This topic continues to surface from time to time, both in political rhetoric and in concrete legislative initiatives. In June 2022, an amendment was adopted allowing for the seizure of private foreign assets by court decision. 📍The Senate of Canada is currently reviewing a bill which, if passed, would authorize the confiscation of assets belonging to foreign states without any court ruling, under the pretext of "violations of peace and security". Unsurprisingly, it is the Canadian authorities themselves who will determine whether such violations have occurred. From a legal standpoint, this is absurd, but such are the local realities. ❗️It is important to understand that these legal innovations represent attempts to legitimize the unilateral expropriation of foreign property under political pretexts. They violate the basic principles of sovereign immunity and legal certainty. Even within Canada’s own political establishment, such proposals are sparking controversy. 🇨🇦 Moreover, the Canadian authorities themselves do not seem to know whether they actually have any Russian assets to begin with, beyond a desire to seize something. They may be inspired by the predatory dreams of the European Commission, but in fact, there are no Russian sovereign assets in Canada.