Canada Purchase Of NASAMS For Ukraine Ridiculous Amid Domestic Issues - Russian Envoy

Canada purchasing the US-manufactured National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) for Ukraine is another demonstration of how Ottawa funnels money to fuel the Ukraine war amid numerous pressing domestic issues, Russian Ambassador to Canada Oleg Stepanov told Sputnik.

"Prime Minister Trudeau's cabinet funneling money to fuel up war and support an illegitimate regime thousand kilometers away from Canada looks ridiculous," Stepanov said on Tuesday. "Ridiculous, in particular, against the backdrop of all the problems Canada suffers domestically.

This is just an amused bystander observation. Of course, it's up to the Canadians to decide if this policy is adequate."

Earlier on Tuesday, the Canadian government announced that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told US President Joe Biden that Ottawa will purchase NASAMS for Ukraine.

The two leaders held a bilateral meeting on the margins of the North American Leaders' Summit in Mexico City.

Defense Minister Anita Anand said that the purchase of NASAMS is the first Canadian donation of an air defense system to Ukraine.