Russian invasion could be ‘licence’ for other attacks, Canada’s UN ambassador warns

Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations, Bob Rae, said that Russia‘s invasion of Ukraine could inspire other invasions if it is not stopped.

“If we’re not able to stop (the Ukraine invasion) in its tracks, I think we know what will happen. It will simply be a license for others to do the same,” he told Mercedes Stephenson on The West Block.

“So what’s at stake here — it’s not just Ukraine.”

Rae’s comments come as speculation is growing over whether Russia’s invasion will embolden China to invade Taiwan, which the superpower claims is its territory. Taiwan is currently in a heightened state of alert due to the invasion of Ukraine.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said recently that Tawain and Ukraine are not similar.

“Taiwan is not Ukraine,” she said. “Taiwan has always been an inalienable part of China. This is an indisputable legal and historical fact.”

3:06 Russia-Ukraine conflict: Sirens sound in Kyiv as Ukrainian forces battle Russia outside city

Rae said, though, that China is being “very careful,” noting that it abstained from a U.N. security council vote on Friday deploring the invasion of Ukraine rather than voting with Russia, which vetoed the resolution.

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“China deciding not to vote with Russia on this question is important,” he said. “It does send a signal.”

The country still does provide an avenue for Russia economically after western nations have placed an increasing number of sanctions on the invading force.

On Saturday, the U.S., EU, U.K. and Canada announced there will be restrictive measures on Russia’s central bank and select banks will be excluded from the SWIFT messaging network in an effort to cut Russia off from the international financial system.

Rae said that financial measures can have a “serious impact” on Russia’s economy, noting it doesn’t have “all the assets in the world,” and China’s banks will look very carefully at what they’re prepared to finance in that country.

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which has descended on the capital, Kyiv, has already broken wartime codes of conduct, the former Ontario premier and Member of Parliament said.

“What we’re clearly seeing in Ukraine is no proportionality,” Rae said. “We’re seeing attacks on civilians. We’re seeing attacks on people sleeping in their beds, in their apartments. We’re seeing attacks on kindergartens.”

7:42 Russia-Ukraine conflict: What is Putin’s endgame?

Russia’s goal is to ultimately topple Ukraine’s government and install a puppet regime, according to Charles Kupchan, the former senior director for European affairs in the administration of former U.S. president Barack Obama.

Russian President Vladimir Putin faces an “uphill battle,” though, Kupchan said on The West Block.

Kupchan predicts there will be a “long-running Ukrainian insurgency,” not to mention growing opposition within Russia.

“(Putin has) deluded himself into thinking that behind every Ukrainian is a want to be Russian,” Kupchan said.

“It’s going to be very hard for Russia to keep its thumb on a country that wants nothing to do with Russian rule.”