Mr. Speaker, Canada continues to strongly condemn Russia's illegal occupation of Ukraine and its ongoing aggressive military provocation.
Together with our NATO allies, we recognize the need to enhance security and stability in central and eastern Europe. This is why Canada is contributing to Operation Reassurance.
The Royal Canadian Air Force has deployed CF-18 fighter jets to take part in both training missions and Baltic air policing. Last week, two CF-18 Hornets based in Lithuania were conducting a routine training mission when they were re-tasked to respond to a non-NATO aircraft off the Baltic coast.
Our fighter jets intercepted and visually identified a Russian Federation air force plane being used as an electronic warfare and surveillance platform near Lithuanian air space. This interception demonstrates the capability of our armed forces to contribute to NATO missions.
I would like to thank our pilots and crews for their efforts.
Finally, I believe our Prime Minister said it best when he told Vladimir Putin, “You need to get out of Ukraine.”