Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joins fellow Nordic leaders to take part in a photo in Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland, Sunday, June 25, 2023. Sweden's bid to join the NATO military alliance will be discussed today at a meeting of Nordic leaders in Iceland with Trudeau in attendance. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
REYKJAVIK, ICELAND – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada is monitoring the events in Russia after a short-lived uprising over the weekend, but taking a cautious approach to avoid fuelling Russian propaganda.
Speaking to reporters in Iceland, Trudeau maintained that not getting involved is the right thing to do.
A brief armed revolt in Russia over the weekend by Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of the mercenary paramilitary Wagner Group, has loomed large over the two-day gathering of Nordic leaders in Iceland.
During a news conference earlier in the day, Trudeau and the Nordic leaders called the conflict an internal matter for Russia to address, while reaffirming their support for Ukraine.
U.S. President Joe Biden said earlier today that the U.S. and NATO were not involved in the short-lived insurrection.
Biden said he was cautious about speaking publicly because he did not want to give Putin an excuse to blame the uprising on the West and on NATO.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 26, 2023.
– With files from The Associated Press.
