Russian-Canadian Relations in 2023: "Deep Freeze"

Abstract

The main components of Russian-Canadian relations in 2023 were Canada's participation in assistance to Ukraine and the ongoing crisis on a bilateral vector. Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Canada O.V. Stepanov called the state of these relations a "deep freeze." Periodically, ties were on the verge of complete rupture, and most mechanisms of interaction were curtailed. In Canada's official documents, Russia is still considered a threat to Canada's security and Canada is included in the list of unfriendly states of the Russian Federation. The article examines the forms and directions of Canada's participation in the West's proxy war against Russia, analyses the domestic context of policy-making and shows Canada’s vanguard role in the development of anti-Russian sanctions.