OTTAWA –
Canada has not ruled out the possibility of imposing sanctions on Vladimir Putin’s alleged girlfriend, Alina Kabayeva, a former Olympic gymnast, the foreign minister said.
Kabayeva’s name is reportedly on a draft list of individuals who could be sanctioned by the European Union.
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki, when asked last month if Kabayeva could appear on a future sanctions list, said: “No one is safe from our sanctions.”
Melanie Jolie said Canada’s goal is to keep pace with its allies in imposing sanctions on Putin-linked individuals.
The minister said in an interview that Canada is preparing a new list of sanctions, which will be announced soon. She confirmed that Canada has not ruled out adding Kabayeva’s name to a future sanctions list.
“Our goal is to be fully in line with the European Union,” she said. “Our goal is for all sanctions by our allies to be imposed in Canada as well.”
Canada and the EU have already imposed sanctions on Putin’s older daughters Maria Vorontsova and Katerina Tikhonova. Canada has also sanctioned oligarchs close to the Russian president, as well as Putin himself.
The 69-year-old Putin was highly confidential about his personal life and had previously denied contact with the 38-year-old former rhythmic gymnastics medalist, who has several children.
Kabayeva has won numerous Olympic medals, including gold, as well as medals from the World Championships and the European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships.
She reportedly has a home with her children in Switzerland, but was photographed in Moscow last month at a rehearsal at a youth gymnastics festival.
Aurel Brown, a professor of international relations at the University of Toronto, said sanctioning Kabayeva would be “symbolic” and suggested that “no one is safe” from sanctions, but questioned whether it would have an impact on Putin.
Brown, an expert on Russian foreign policy, warned that “for sanctions to work, they must be part of a well-thought-out strategy.”
The RCMP confirmed on Thursday that about $ 85 million in assets had been frozen under the sanctions regime, and more than $ 253 million in payments had been blocked.
The RCMP collects information on assets owned or controlled by persons on the sanctions list.
It says people living in Canada, as well as Canadians outside the country, must disclose property owned or managed by sanctioned individuals.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on May 12, 2022.
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