Canadian Defence Minister: Ukraine should be supported until victory, not "for as long as it takes"

Canadian Minister of National Defence Bill Blair believes it is a mistake to support Ukraine "for as long as it takes", suggesting instead that support should be linked to Ukraine’s victory in the full-scale war.

Source: European Pravda, citing Blair at an Atlantic Council event held on 13 May

Details: General Borys Kremenetskyi, Defence Attaché at the Ukrainian Embassy in the US, noted that the Canadian minister has called for support for Ukraine "until its victory" and asked him to clarify what this victory means to him.

Quote from Blair: "When I got this job [as Defence Minister – ed.], frankly, I changed our language, because 'as long as it takes' is not very hopeful or even aspirational."

According to Blair, victory means "strong, secure borders for Ukraine, but also for Ukrainians so that they can live in peace and prosperity".

Quote: "And so for me, victory is obviously defeating Putin and driving him out of Ukraine. But it's also about creating the circumstances that will allow for a lasting, secure peace for the Ukrainian people."

The phrase "for as long as it takes" is frequently used by Ukraine's allies, including Germany and the United States.

However, some officials, such as Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, have emphasised that it is necessary to talk about supporting Kyiv "until victory".

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