by Tom Balmford
KYIV, May 9 (Reuters) – The world will do all it can to ensure Russian President Vladimir Putin loses the war in Ukraine, including imposing years of sanctions on Moscow, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“What Putin needs to understand is that the West is absolutely determined to stand up against what they are doing,” he said in a Reuters interview on the sidelines of a surprise visit to Ukraine. during which the Canadian leader spoke with Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky, presented as a “friend”.
“His illegal war, his escalations, his crossing of red lines by choosing to invade Ukraine further means that we, the world, will do everything we can to make sure he loses,” added the Canadian leader, believing that Vladimir Putin was making a terrible mistake.
“He inflicts atrocities on civilians, and he does it because he thought he could win. But he can only lose,” said Justin Trudeau, asked what he would say to the Russian president when he prepares to commemorate the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II on Monday. (Report Tom Balmforth; French version Jean Terzian)