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Russia’s new ambassador in Ottawa says his country will not go “begging” for better relations with Canada, even though the two countries need each other to protect the Arctic and fight terrorism.

In an interview with the Citizen, Russian Ambassador Alexander Darchiev said his country wants to re-open lines of communication with Ottawa after relations were “frozen” over the crisis in Ukraine.

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But Darchiev added: “We are not begging for dialogue. We are suggesting dialogue, which should be equal and mutually respectful.”

Canada has suspended all but the most low-level discussions with Russia over the latter’s annexation of Crimea and military support for pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine’s Donbass region, where fighting has killed an estimated 5,000 people since last year.

Instead, it has taken to condemning Russia through press releases and social media. Just this week, after fresh fighting erupted between the Ukrainian government and separatist forces, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird issued a statement accusing Russia of “deepening the crisis in eastern Ukraine” by sending troops and heavy weapons into the region.