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Conservative cabinet minister Chris Alexander says the situation in Ukraine is the biggest security issue facing the world today, even as his government debates expanding its military actions in the Middle East.

Alexander’s comments, made to Ukrainian Canadians during a speech in Toronto Feb. 22, are being shared on the Internet as the Conservative government prepares to extend its Iraq military mission and expand it into Syria.

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The video of the immigration minister’s speech has also sparked a Twitter argument between Alexander and the Russian Embassy in Ottawa.

In his speech, Alexander denounced Russia’s Vladimir Putin as behaving like a terrorist and warned the situation in Ukraine affects all countries.

“This is the biggest issue facing the world today in my view, I think in the view of our prime minister, and our team,” he told the audience. “Yes there is terrorism. Vladimir Putin is behaving like a terrorist.”