Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defends Canada's decision to grant a Canadian company an exemption from federal sanctions, allowing it to return turbines from a Russian pipeline supplying Germany with natural gas.

The Prime Minister said that while it was a "very difficult decision," Russia is trying to "exploit energy as a means to cause division among allies," and that Canada's move was made to help Germany in the short term as it works with other European countries to reduce its dependence on Russian oil and gas.

Trudeau said during a press conference in Kingston, Ontario: "Canada was one of the strongest countries in the world in standing with Ukraine."

He pledged on Wednesday to continue support such as sanctions, citing billions of dollars in military and humanitarian aid provided so far.

The turbines, which are part of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, were sent to Siemens Canada in Montreal for repair, but once the federal government imposed sanctions on the state-owned Russian energy company Gazprom, the company was prevented from returning the equipment.

Canada announced on Saturday that it had decided to grant a "limited-time and revocable permit" to allow the equipment to be returned.

Canada faced pressure from both Russia and Germany to return the turbines to Germany, fearing the risk of energy instability.

The energy giant claimed it needed the turbines to continue supplying Germany, having already significantly reduced gas flow through the pipeline, prompting Germans to express concerns about the lack of backup supplies.

Trudeau said: "Countries in Europe, especially Germany, have significantly intensified their support for Ukraine, and we need cohesion, especially in the face of Russia’s attempts to make energy a pressure card to divide us," adding that Canada's sanctions are aimed at targeting and punishing "Putin and his allies," not other allied countries.

"And that's exactly why we made this difficult decision, to be there for our allies, to ensure that Europe – not only governments but peoples – remains steadfast and generous in their support for Ukraine."

The controversial decision – despite support from the United States and the European Union – was strongly condemned by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as well as federal opposition parties with this plan.

Zelensky said Canada's decision is about more than just a wrong decision to deliver the turbines, but an "absolutely unacceptable exception to the sanctions regime against Russia" that sets a troubling precedent.

While Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson initially described it as a "limited-duration and revocable permit," the deal allows the movement of six turbines which, according to his office, "follow the regular maintenance schedule" that would permit it in two years, with the possibility to revoke the permit at any time.

In the context of its support for Canada's decision to return the turbines, the European Commission says that in doing so, "one of the excuses used by Russia to reduce gas flows has been removed."

The Commission said it continues to work closely with its international partners, including Canada and the United States, to ensure energy security in Europe next winter."

Alongside the decision to return key pipeline infrastructure parts, the federal government announced a new round of sanctions targeting the Russian oil and gas sector, and Trudeau pledged on Wednesday to impose sanctions "stronger than ever before."