The prime minister also called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday to pledge his support for the country.

But Trudeau has no time limit on when Canada will sanction more Russians.

“We will impose stronger sanctions; it will be announced soon,” Trudeau said, arguing Canada was one of the countries that sanctioned Russia the most.

Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly announced more sanctions were coming last Thursday.

Ottawa has also given no details since announcing Monday that it would sanction Iranian officials over the human rights crackdown that followed Mahsa Amini’s death, after she was arrested by the country’s moral police.

Trudeau said he promised Zelensky that Canada would do what it could to ensure the “false referendum” was not endorsed by other countries.

“We will also continue to work with the world to recognize that what Putin is trying to do is completely illegitimate,” Trudeau told reporters Thursday afternoon.

He visited Iles-de-la-Madeleine Quebec to visit the damage caused by post-tropical hurricane Fiona last weekend.

Earlier Thursday, Defense Minister Anita Anand said Russia’s vote violated the international rules-based order that had been in place since the end of World War Two.

“Canada condemns this act and I am personally disgusted by it, because it is despicable,” he said.

“Ukrainian territory will always remain Ukrainian territory.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on September 29, 2022.

— With files from Lee Berthiaume in Ottawa and milie Bergeron in Iles-de-la-Madeleine

Dylan Robertson, Canadian Press