US, UK, and other Five Eyes partners give Canada the cold shoulder after Trudeau's latest claims on Nijjar murder

UK PM Keir Starmer and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau "discussed the need to ensure the safety and security of their citizens and the importance of upholding and respecting the rule of law". This was the official statement from the Canadian PM's office on Monday, the day on which Canada expelled six Indian diplomats for their alleged role in the murder of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

CREDIT: REUTERS

Trudeau Starmer phone call

Trudeau spoke to his British counterpart, Starmer, in the wake of his country's diplomatic tussle with India and, according to the PM's office, discussed recent developments related to a targeted campaign against Canadian citizens by agents linked to the government of India.

However, the UK has not yet publicly commented on the latest developments in the probe into the murder of the Khalistani separatist.

Five Eyes response to latest Canadian allegations

It is not just the UK; Canada's other partners in the Five Eyes alliance—the US, Australia, and New Zealand—have also taken similar positions.

This is despite Canada's claim that the information about the alleged Indian involvement in the killing of Nijjar came from a Five Eyes partner.

CREDIT: REUTERS

Canada briefs Five Eyes partners

Following the latest developments, Trudeau said his government has shared with its Five Eyes partners all the information they have related to the allegations of Indian officials' involvement in Nijjar's killing.

“From the beginning, as of last summer, we've worked closely with our Five Eyes partners, particularly with the United States, where they have gone through a similar pattern of behaviour from India in regard to an attempted extrajudicial killing,” Trudeau said.

CREDIT: REUTERS

What US said

The US, while noting that the allegations are serious, stated that India is a strong partner.

“We have made clear that the allegations are extremely serious, and they need to be taken seriously, and we’ve wanted to see the government of India cooperate with Canada in its investigation. Obviously, they have not chosen that path,” US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters, while adding that India continues to be “an incredibly strong partner of the United States.”

How New Zealand PM reacted

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters also made only a brief mention, saying that the allegations, "if proven, would be very concerning."

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