Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney joined the leaders of Germany and Norway on Friday in criticizing the Trump administration’s decision to temporarily lift sanctions on Russian oil, exposing a public split between Washington and key NATO allies.
At a joint press conference in Bardufoss, Norway, where the three leaders were attending the 14-nation NATO exercise Cold Response, Carney, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz argued that sanctions relief would weaken efforts to force Russia to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine.
The three NATO leaders were publicly breaking with Washington over the Trump administration’s decision to ease some sanctions on Russian oil. The split came as the U.S. took part in NATO wargaming in Norway’s Arctic region meant to demonstrate allied resolve against Russia as the war in Ukraine enters its fifth year.
Merz said he was surprised to wake up Friday to the U.S. decision, “which was obviously taken in D.C. last night.” Echoing Støre, the German leader added: “We should put more pressure on Russia.”
Carney aligned Canada with that position.
“Entirely agree. Canada's position is to maintain sanctions on Russia … including on the shadow fleet, which is moving this oil,” the prime minister said, as the three leaders spoke against a backdrop of heavy military armament.
“There's been very tight cooperation between Russia and Iran, at great cost to the people of Ukraine and a great threat to peace and security in Europe. And this group, under the leadership of the two gentlemen to my right, and a broader coalition — Coalition of the Willing — has stood up to that,” Carney added.
The U.S. temporarily lifted some of its Russia sanctions late Thursday in an effort to bring down energy prices as the conflict in the Middle East drags on. It would allow the delivery and sale of Russian oil stranded at sea.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized the decision on Friday as “not very logical.”
“The lifting of sanctions means that [Russia] will receive more money and there will be more drone attacks” in the Middle East, Zelenskyy said, standing alongside French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris.
“Russia will get money for its war machine, and there are a lot of drones that are built on Russian soil to destabilize the Middle East,” he added.
In northern Norway, the three leaders were asked whether the U.S. could be “trusted” as a partner on northern security.
“Yes,” replied Støre, without hesitation, followed by Carney.
Carney went on to describe the close and historic military cooperation between Canada and the U.S. through NORAD, the joint North American air defense command.
Støre said security cooperation in the Arctic was in the U.S’ domestic self-interest, calling it a “net positive for the security of the United States.”
But when pressed on whether the decision by the U.S. to ease Russian oil sanctions changes that, the Norwegian leader gave a blunt reply.
“We have made it clear that we disagree with that decision. And, you know, disagreements appear among countries. Let's be honest about that,” Støre said.
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