Trudeau says Ukraine can strike deep into Russia with NATO arms, Putin hints at war

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has expressed support for Ukraine conducting strikes deep within Russia, despite Moscow's warnings that such actions could escalate the conflict and draw Canada and its allies into direct warfare.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has cautioned that NATO could become involved in the war if Ukraine uses donated weapons for long-range attacks inside Russia. His remarks come five weeks after Ukrainian forces crossed the border, marking the first time since World War II that parts of Russian territory have been occupied by a foreign force.

Trudeau emphasized that Canada "fully supports Ukraine's use of long-range weaponry" to prevent Russian attacks on civilian targets such as hospitals and daycares. He added that Ukraine must emerge victorious in its fight against Russia’s invasion, warning that a failure to do so could embolden other large nations to attempt to annex their neighbors.

In May, the U.S. began permitting Ukraine to use American weapons to strike targets within Russia, but limited this to areas near the border that were being used to launch attacks on Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv.

"Canada fully supports Ukraine using long-range weaponry to prevent and stop Russia’s ongoing attacks on Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure, and most importantly, to prevent the killing of innocent civilians in this unjust war," Trudeau said during a press conference in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, on Friday.

"(Putin) is attempting to deeply destabilize the international rules-based order that safeguards all nations, not just democracies, but countries across the globe," Trudeau added.