Greens question decision to sendmore 'offensive'weapons to Ukraine

The Green Party says Canada should consider restricting the types of weapons it sends to Ukraine and should pressfora negotiated peace between Russia and Ukraine.

Both positions make the party an outlieron the Canadian political landscape. One Ukrainian-Canadian group called them "a moral obscenity."

In an interview with CBC Radio's The House, Green Party co-leader Jonathan Pedneaultdescribed Russia's war on Ukraine as illegal and said he has supported the Canadian government's previous decisions to send weapons to Ukrainian forces.

But as the conflict passes the one year mark, he said, he worries about where thetanks and aircraft donated by alliescould ultimately end up.

CBC News: The House11:17The Green Party calls for peace

Politicians in Canada have generally been united in support of Canadas efforts to send aid and military weapons to Ukraine, but the Green Party is now also pushing for peace talks with Russia. Green Party co-leader Jonathan Pedneault discusses whether his partys stance is prudent or practical and why he believes it may be time to stop sending some weapons to Ukraine.

"I am questioning the whole question of supplying weapons in active conflict areas such as this one, weapons that can be used for offensive purposes," he said.

Pedneaultdescribed being in Ukraine during the first 10 days of the conflict as part of his previous job documenting human rights violations for Human Rights Watch.

"One thing that I know, having spent 14 years working in conflict areas, is that an aggrieved party for all the good reasons and human reasonswill most likely and often try and seek revenge," he said.

"Do we have any assurances that war will stop at the border of Russia once territory is reclaimed?"

Pedneaultpointed to Afghanistan and Iraq as examples of places where western military aid was eventually "scattered around" to groups hostileto human rights.

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress condemned the party's position.

"It is a moral obscenity to argue that people who are the victims of an unprovoked assault should not be given the means with which to defend themselves," said UCC senior policy adviser Orest Zalydalsky in an email to CBC News.

"To argue against the provision of weapons to Ukraine is to argue that Russia should be allowed to annihilate the Ukrainian people."

Defence Minister Anita Anand's office did not respond to a question about whether Canada has placed conditions on the future use of weapons sent to Ukraine.

"We continue to move in lockstep together with our allies in order to provide Ukraine with the military equipment that it needs to win. Ukraine has proven that they are effective at using what we send," she saidin an interview last week with The House.

On Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Canada would be sending Ukraine four additional Leopard 2 tanks, an armoured recovery vehicle and 5,000 rounds of ammunition.

"Canada ... will continue to stand with Ukraine with whatever it takes for as long as it takes," he said.

Greens push for peace talks

The Green Party argues Canada should be doing more to encourage peace talks.

"It's not clear to me that military victory is at all possible," Pedneaultsaid. "So then what are we left with? To engage in diplomatic efforts."

PedneaultcitedChairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen.Mark Milley's commentthatthe conflict isn't likely to end on the battlefield.

Earlier this month, Gen. Milley told the Financial Times that it was "almost impossible' for Russia to overrun Ukraine but that it was also "very, very difficult for Ukraine this year to kick the Russians out of every inch of Russian-occupied Ukraine."

China put forward what it called a 12-point peace plan this week. The proposal was criticized by some, including NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who questioned China's credibility given its refusal to denounce Russia's invasion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy showed some openness to China's "thoughts" on Friday, saying he considered the plan a good signal and was open to meeting with President Xi Jinping.

Zelenskyy also stated againthat any peace plan would have to include a full Russian troop withdrawal.

In an interview airing Sunday, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly told Rosemary Barton Live that helping Ukraine defend itself puts it in a better position for any peace talks.

"It's really Russia invading Ukraine and not vice versa. So that is why arming Ukraine is important," said Joly.

"Because everything that is going on, on the battlefield will have an impact afterwards at the negotiation table."

Pedneaultsaid it will be up to Ukraine and Russia to decide if there are peace talks, but suggested Canada's influence with Ukraine could helpto bring them to the table.

Pedneaultsaid he is not advocating that Ukraine cede territory to Russia but is calling for a space where the two sides in the conflict could discuss the conditions for peace.

"I am not saying that we should kowtow to any bully here, but it is important to take into consideration the fact, once again, that they do have nuclear weapons and that should force us to explore all possible options," he said.

Listen to full episodes of CBC Radio'sThe Househere.