RUSSIA
Vladimir Putin – Russian President
Russia is not a “weak country” anymore, and the United States is going to have a tough time influencing its decisions, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday, in a speech during the Victory Day commemoration. Putin also accused the West of forcing Russia to invade Ukraine by turning it into an “absolutely unacceptable threat.”
JAPAN
Fumio Kishida – Prime Minister
Japan will take time to phase out Russian oil imports after agreeing on a ban with other Group of Seven (G7) nations in an effort to put further economic pressure on the Kremlin and urge Moscow to withdraw its troops from Ukraine, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Monday. “For a country heavily dependent on energy imports, it’s a very difficult decision. But G7 coordination is most important at a time like now,” Kishida told reporters.
EU
Joao Vale de Almeida – EU’s ambassador to Britain
The EU is open to talks on the North Ireland protocol, the European Union’s ambassador to Britain Joao Vale de Almeida said on Monday. The ambassador stressed that the EU is not ready “to renegotiate an international treaty” signed a few years ago. “It is clear in our mind that unilateral action creates more problems than the ones it solves. So we need to find jointly agreed solutions,” he told the BBC radio.
CANADA
Justin Trudeau – Prime Minister
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a surprise visit to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv announced Canada will provide an additional $50 million in military assistance to Ukraine, including 18 drone cameras, $15 million in high-resolution satellite imagery, and up to $1 million in small arms and ammunition.