Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faces renewed calls from Ukraine to cancel a permit allowing the return of turbines repaired in Montreal to the Russian energy giant as a three-day visit from the German leader begins.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who took office from Angela Merkel in December last year, arrived in Montreal on Sunday evening for a visit that also includes scheduled stops in Toronto and Stevenville, accompanied throughout the tour by Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, responsible for the country’s energy file.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland welcomed the visiting dignitaries on the runway of Montreal Trudeau International Airport upon their arrival Sunday evening.

A statement from the Prime Minister's Office said the visit would work to strengthen shared priorities between Canada and Germany, including their steadfast support for Ukraine, protecting peace and security in Europe and around the world, and addressing the broader global impacts of the illegal and unjustified Russian invasion. 

Ukraine criticized Trudeau and his government last month for approving Germany’s request to exempt Siemens Canada from sanctions on Russia so it could return a turbine for use in the Nord Stream 1 pipeline supplying Germany with natural gas.

The turbine was under repair at Siemens' facility in Montreal, the only site in the world capable of servicing the equipment, then delivered to Germany and was supposed to be sent to Russia from there, but Russian authorities have so far refused to accept it.

Russia has also reduced the gas flow in the pipeline to 20 percent of its capacity and recently announced it would shut the line completely for three days at the end of the month, citing the need for unscheduled maintenance.

Canada’s permit also allows Siemens to import, repair, and return five other turbines used in Nord Stream 1, according to their maintenance schedule, and is valid until the end of 2024.

In an interview, Ukraine’s ambassador to Canada, Yuliya Kovaliv, again called for the exemption to be revoked and said it was clear Russia would not accept the turbines Siemens delivered to Germany, accusing Russia of using gas supplies as a means to terrorize Europe.

Orest Zakydalsky from the Canadian Ukrainian Congress said the Chancellor’s visit “will be an opportunity for them to reverse policy and cancel the permit.”

Also, Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said in an interview that Canada would continue to “assess” its decision to allow turbines to be returned to Gazprom, the state-owned Russian energy giant operating Nord Stream 1.