EU commissioner visits Canada, says Europe moving away from dependency on Moscow fossil fuel

By Barry Ellsworth

TRENTON, Canada (AA) – G7 sanctions are “biting deep and hard” on Russia and the EU will continue to move away from dependency on Russian gas and oil, EU Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen said Tuesday.

Von der Leyen and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau touched on a wide range of subjects during a joint news conference. The EU commissioner is on a two-day visit to Canada, leaving March 8.

But it was continued support for Ukraine that dominated the first part of the conference.

Canada announced another $3 million for de-mining efforts in Ukraine and it will send seven generators to the beleaguered country to help rebuild its electrical grid.

Von der Leyen noted the EU’s goal to train another 30,000 Ukrainians and supply more weapons to fight Russia.

Canada, too, extended its medical and engineering training to Ukrainians to Oct. 23, 2023.

“We will keep supporting Ukraine,” said the EU commissioner.

The two leaders also announced a new hydrogen deal and joint efforts for green energy to wean Europe off Russian gas and oil.

“A green alliance between the EU and Canada,” von der Leyen said. The pair also agreed the move to green energy and away from fossil fuels was necessary to battle climate change.

She also mentioned it was time to “derisk” dependency on China for materials for EV batteries, as Canada and other democratic countries had the critical rare earth components necessary for lithium batteries.

Later, the two leaders were to visit a leading Canadian lithium-ion battery recycling company.

Tuesday evening, von der Leyen was scheduled to address the parliament.