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Stephen Harper at G20 tells Vladimir Putin to 'get out of Ukraine'
cbc.ca ^ | November 15, 2014

Posted on 11/15/2014 6:17:07 AM PST by Tailgunner Joe

Stephen Harper had a showdown with Vladimir Putin on Saturday, telling the Russian leader to "get out of Ukraine" in a dustup at the Group of 20 summit in Australia.

Harper's spokesman, Jason MacDonald, said the prime minister was speaking to a group of G20 leaders at a private leaders' retreat on Saturday morning when Putin approached and extended his hand.

MacDonald said Harper told Putin: "I guess I'll shake your hand but I have only one thing to say to you: You need to get out of Ukraine."

According to MacDonald, Putin did not respond positively. He didn't provide further details.

But a spokesman for the Russian delegation said Putin's response was: "That's impossible because we are not there."

Harper and the leaders of the world's top economies began the annual summit in a tense atmosphere dominated by Western anger towards Putin and pressure to address climate change, fight Ebola and kickstart economic growth.

A senior government source had earlier stated that Harper had no intention of talking to Putin during the summit, noting the Russian leader was well aware of Canada's position on his aggression in Ukraine. That changed when Putin approached his Canadian counterpart.

The brilliant blue skies overhead this seaside city buzzed with security helicopters as the leaders, including Putin and U.S. President Barack Obama, arrived at the Queensland Parliament House in downtown Brisbane for the retreat.

Harper chatted with British Prime Minister David Cameron as they entered the stately stone building on a steamy morning. The city is currently enduring a record-breaking heatwave, with the mercury expected to climb as high as 40 C on Sunday.

Focus meant to be on economy

The summit was meant to focus on economic issues. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott officially opened the summit with a pledge that world leaders would deliver on an initiative to add $2 trillion to the global GDP, vowing freer trade and more investment for infrastructure.

He said the leaders' plans for growth would add millions of jobs and boost the world's GDP by more than two per cent.

But it was clear that Putin's actions over the past few days were top of mind for the leaders.

Abbott lashed out at the Russian leader for apparently flexing his military muscles by sending four Russian navy ships to stalk Australia's northern coast in the days leading up to the G20 summit.

"Russia would be so much more attractive if it was aspiring to be a superpower for peace and freedom and prosperity, if it was trying to be a superpower for ideas and for values, instead of trying to recreate the lost glories of czarism or the old Soviet Union," he said.

Cameron threatened Russia with further sanctions if it doesn't resolve the Ukrainian conflict amid reports that Russian troops and tanks are flooding into the eastern reaches of Ukraine.

Harper has been a vehement Putin critic for months, with Canada and Russia trading a number of retaliatory sanctions.

He recently condemned the "continued penetration of Russian presence in eastern Ukraine and obvious actions to extend and provoke additional violence. That's of great concern to us."

Russia warns France

Russia, meantime, took aim at France on the eve of the summit, threatening "serious" consequences if it fails to deliver a warship whose handover has been delayed by the events in Ukraine.

Putin also assailed his fellow G20 nations for imposing sanctions at all, saying in an interview with Russia's state media that the measures violated G20 principles.

Amid those hostilities, the stage was set for face-to-face meetings that promise to be crackling.

Harper told the media he agreed with Abbott, the summit's chairman, that the event should focus on economic issues.

But he added he expected the recent climate change deal between the U.S. and China, setting limits on greenhouse gas emissions, would also be a topic of discussion among the leaders of the world's top economies, as well as a host of other issues.

On the sidelines of the summit, Obama pledged a $3 billion US contribution to the so-called Green Climate Fund to help poor countries adapt to climate change and develop cleaner sources of energy.

The move reportedly is part of Obama's intention to use his last two years in office pushing forward climate change policy.

Environmentalists have demanded climate be on the agenda at the G20 meeting, and the head of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, called on the G20 to make the environment a priority in a news conference at the summit.

"Climate change is the defining issue of our times; it's only natural that G20 leaders should focus much more on this," he said.


TOPICS: Australia/New Zealand; Canada; Foreign Affairs; Russia
KEYWORDS: australia; canada; g20; russia; stephenharper; ukraine; vladtheimploder
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1 posted on 11/15/2014 6:17:07 AM PST by Tailgunner Joe
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To: Tailgunner Joe

Climate change what a bunch of bs. God Bless Stephen Harper. Speak Truth to Power.


2 posted on 11/15/2014 6:22:08 AM PST by FlyingEagle
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To: Tailgunner Joe

Sorry but there is no political consensus in the United States to risk American lives or nuclear war to define the borders within the former Soviet Union.


3 posted on 11/15/2014 6:23:34 AM PST by allendale
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To: allendale

Sorry but the United States does not operate by consensus. If you don’t like it that’s too bad for you. Nobody cares about your opinion.


4 posted on 11/15/2014 6:26:46 AM PST by Tailgunner Joe
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To: allendale

“Sorry but there is no political consensus in the United States to risk American lives or nuclear war to define the borders within the former Soviet Union.”

I don’t think you need the modifier after the word “war”.


5 posted on 11/15/2014 6:30:01 AM PST by Mouton (The insurrection laws perpetuate what we have for a government now.)
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To: allendale
Sorry but there is no political consensus in the United States to risk American lives or nuclear war to define the borders within the former Soviet Union

Appropriate borders were already "defined" by the people who live in Ukraine who voted for independence.

Obama has not intentions of sending troops to Ukraine.

Obama should be sending arms to Ukraine.

Sending arms doesn't "risk" American lives.

Other than all that "great" post on your part. LOL.

6 posted on 11/15/2014 6:32:44 AM PST by FreeReign
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To: FreeReign

The stupid evil terrorist KGB Putin is already threatening the United States and the rest of western civilization with nuclear attack daily, so we are all at risk whether the cowardly appeaseniks like it or not.


7 posted on 11/15/2014 6:34:51 AM PST by Tailgunner Joe
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To: allendale
Sorry but there is no political consensus in the United States to risk American lives or nuclear war to define the borders within the former Soviet Union.

So, if Russian troops and tanks roll into Lithuania, Latvia and/or Estonia, you'd say what? "Sorry, not my job, Jack?" At what point would you draw a line?

Part of the problem here is that our FECKLESS POTUS has drawn and erased many a line, demonstrating weakness and provoking others to move into the vacuum he has created. The old "Severe Letter" to follow does not cut the mustard and I fear that Obama is Chamberlain.

8 posted on 11/15/2014 6:38:02 AM PST by SES1066 (Quality, Speed or Economical - Any 2 of 3 except in government - 1 at best but never #3!)
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To: FlyingEagle

Hey Harper. Propose to Ukraine that it be a Canadian province.


9 posted on 11/15/2014 6:38:23 AM PST by HiTech RedNeck (Embrace the Lion of Judah and He will roar for you and teach you to roar too. See my page.)
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To: SES1066

Those who wish to do nothing have chosen to make themselves irrelevant observers. Only the motivations of those who have chosen to act matter, and will be considered important by history. The feeble voices of the dissenters shall be relegated to a footnote.


10 posted on 11/15/2014 6:42:35 AM PST by Tailgunner Joe
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To: Tailgunner Joe

Doubtless he believes he has done ethnic Russians a great favor by reconquering their current homes. And he is getting cheers from them for having done it. Not a lot of buyers remorse from that quarter, at least not yet. A reconquest based upon that idea would probably not come close to the scope of the old USSR, but it would definitely expand the Russian territory and pride.

We do well to watch and pray with thanksgiving for the work of the Conqueror who comes from beyond earth. Because even if we are disgusted at the sight, what are we going to do? Leaning on the unaided, unguided strength of man will fail. Even the America of yesteryear was energized by what gospel it had left.


11 posted on 11/15/2014 6:46:13 AM PST by HiTech RedNeck (Embrace the Lion of Judah and He will roar for you and teach you to roar too. See my page.)
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To: Tailgunner Joe

Is the history that counts the most writ on Earth? Or in Heaven?


12 posted on 11/15/2014 6:47:53 AM PST by HiTech RedNeck (Embrace the Lion of Judah and He will roar for you and teach you to roar too. See my page.)
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To: Tailgunner Joe

Stephen Harper, the kind of competent public official we don’t have in our government any more.


13 posted on 11/15/2014 6:55:07 AM PST by 3Fingas (Sons and Daughters for Freedom and Rededication to the Principles of the U.S. Constitution)
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To: FlyingEagle
Speak Truth to Power.

That cliche has a nice ring to it?
But, where the rubber meets the road money talks and BS walks!
And one man's meat is another man's poison.

14 posted on 11/15/2014 6:56:42 AM PST by DUMBGRUNT (The best is the enemy of the good.)
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To: Tailgunner Joe

Mr. Harper had best get a swivel for his neck, for the man with the umbrella may just come his way.

(If you don’t know what i’m referring to, go look it up first, then comment!)

I do believe that any U.S. position to infuse any military presence to deter the Russians would be a BIG mistake, whether it involves the Ukraine, the Crimean peninsula (the West has been there before), or any point on the map in Cyrillic alphabet.


15 posted on 11/15/2014 7:22:34 AM PST by Terry L Smith
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To: Tailgunner Joe

Harper doing the job the American President wont’t do.


16 posted on 11/15/2014 7:39:26 AM PST by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose o f a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped.)
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To: FlyingEagle

Stephen Harper is an idiot.


17 posted on 11/15/2014 7:53:15 AM PST by The_Republic_Of_Maine (In an Oligarchy, the serfs don't count.)
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To: The_Republic_Of_Maine

Vladimir Putin is a turd eating maggot.


18 posted on 11/15/2014 8:02:32 AM PST by Tailgunner Joe
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To: The_Republic_Of_Maine

Nice to see you parroting the bile of the left.


19 posted on 11/15/2014 8:32:05 AM PST by Don W (To laugh, perhaps to dream...)
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To: Don W

As long as it is your kids and not mine fighting for the foolishness of politicians, fine, but don’t ever ask my kids to fight for your lunacy.


20 posted on 11/15/2014 8:45:16 AM PST by The_Republic_Of_Maine (In an Oligarchy, the serfs don't count.)
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