March 3. Canada will remove Russia and Belarus’s most favored nation status as trading partners, and will provide additional lethal aid to Ukraine, including rocket launchers and hand grenades, Canadian officials said Thursday.
The only other country that does not enjoy the most favored nation status with Canada is North Korea, and goods from Russia and Belarus will be subjected to a 35% tariff when imported into Canada, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said.
Moscow unleashed an all-out invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 that has prompted Canada, the European Union, United States and others to respond with strict financial sanctions on Russia. Sanctions have also been levied on Belarus, which has been used as a key staging point for the invasion.
Canada has closed airspace and ports to Russian vessels, sent lethal military aid to Ukraine, curbed oil imports, and asked the International Criminal Court (ICC) to probe alleged war crimes by Russian forces.
Source: Reuters.
