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Trump has frequently complimented Putin, even though American intelligence agencies say Putin engineered cyberattacks designed to affect the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.

Trump said for the first time this week that Russia might have been behind the cyberattacks.

But he has also said the U.S. needs to improve relations with Russia, saying if Putin likes him that’s an “asset” for the U.S. because the country has a “horrible relationship with Russia.”

“There are so many people around the world who hope that Canada will educate the new administration in Washington, D.C., and that Canada will help the new administration in the U.S. make a firm stand on Russia,” Andriy Shevchenko, the Ukrainian ambassador to Canada, said in an interview.

“The world and countries like mine expect of Canada that it will show a lot of leadership in dealing with the new U.S. administration.”

Karlis Eihenbaums, the Latvian ambassador, said Canada is widely viewed as a trusted ally and close friend of the U.S. which will hopefully help advance the interests of NATO in Washington. Trump has criticized NATO as obsolete and said the U.S. will not automatically come to the aid of its allies.

Canada is sending 450 troops to Latvia, a fellow NATO member, as a deterrent to Russia after it annexed Ukraine’s Crimea region in 2014.

“The U.S. and Canada are constantly consulting each other and doing so in a frank and candid manner, informally and officially,” said Eihenbaums