"Nowadays, when we see the Russians are fighting, as their military are doing, we need more support," Ambassador Prystaiko told
the newspaper."When we’re talking support nowadays, we’re talking about military support. At least we will need some military equipment,”
"We’re asking all of the allies of NATO, ‘Guys, we understand it’s not your war, we understand nobody wants your people to die. And we also don’t want our people to die. But if you want to stop this war right now with a little blood before it gets really ugly, we have to act right now - immediately.’"
John Baird, Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister, said on Thursday that the most recent events in Eastern Ukraine were a "blatant act of aggression" and categorized Vladimir Putin's and Russia's incursion into the Ukraine as an "“invasion of eastern Ukraine."
NATO said 1,000
Russian troops are now operating inside the Ukraine (the Ukraine says the numbers are much higher) and that they will meet next week to decide on a course of action. U.S. President Barack Obama has ruled out military intervention and
said the U.S. will "mobilize" international pressure on Russia to halt their aggression.
No Canadian official has suggested Canada would send troops. Nor has Canada committed to sending military equipment, including fighter planes and their pilots or "rifles," which the Ukrainian ambassador specifically asked for.
Mr. Prystaiko said his country is in a "war" with Russia.
