Canada to send six fighter jets for Ukraine mission

(Update)

Canada is sending fighter jets to NATO’s air-policing mission, in response to the Ukraine/Russia crisis. This decision comes as diplomats from both countries — as well as the U.S. and Europe — reach an agreement to de-escalate the situation.

Prime Minister Harper says we’re sending six CF-18 fighter jets to poland in response to the growing unrest and violence involving russia and ukraine of which there was more overnight.

Three people were killed overnight what was the worst violence so far in the ten-day uprising. The pro-Russian separatists were shot while they were attacking a Ukrainian national guard base in Mariupol. Around 300 men attacked the base armed with stun grenades. Pro-Russian separatists are still in control of official buildings in at least ten eastern Ukrainian towns and cities.

Harper says that the 6 CF-18 jets will be stationed in nearby Poland while NATO considers a response to the unrest. Canada will also send 20 military officers to NATO headquarters in Brussels: “Obviously, this is a response to the situation that is developing there and frankly, more generally to the concern that we have on what really is expansionism and militarism on the part of Russia, under the president of mister Putin.”

Following Thursday’s announcement, CHCH spoke with the vice president at Strategic Intelligence Group, John Thompson. He says that he doesn’t see Canada going into war with Russia: “You need to sometimes put military assets down to show that you are sincere. They are your poker chips on the table. Talk is cheap — deploy military assets, to prove you are real.”

Poland is one of the NATO countries that share a land border with Russia. The NATO countries that share a land border with Russia are Estonia and Latvia. Poland and Lithuania share a small land border with a Russian territory in between them.

Seperate talks to de-escalate the violence were held Thursday between representatives from the U.S., European Union, Russia, and Ukraine. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says that there is progress while President Obama is doubtful that Russia will stick to it’s end of the bargain. “We agreed today that all illegal armed groups must be disarmed, that all illegally seized buildings must be returned to their legitimate owners, and all illegally occupied streets, squares, and other public places in Ukrainian cities and towns must be vacated.”

U.S. President Barack Obama said: “The question now become will in fact they use the influence that they have exerted in a disruptive way to restore some order so the Ukrainians can carry out an election, move forward with the de-centralization reforms that they proposed, stabilize the economy and started get back on the path of growth and democracy.”

Other NATO member nations committing military resources include the U.S., Britain, Germany, Poland, Denmark and Portugal.