Canada and Ukraine Forge Century-Long Defence Partnership

Canada and Ukraine have signed a declaration establishing a 100-year strategic partnership spanning defence and security, trade, investment, energy, and critical minerals. Defence production is the immediate focus, with the two countries planning to help Canadian and Ukrainian companies jointly produce millions of drones, counter-drone systems, munitions, and artificial-intelligence technologies. Canada also intends to create a drone marketplace allowing military units to quickly obtain equipment from companies, drawing on Ukraine’s extensive battlefield experience. Canada has awarded contracts worth up to $50 million to increase the number of drones used by the Canadian Armed Forces tenfold. The initial purchases will include intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance drones and uncrewed ground vehicles made by six Canadian firms. General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada and Ukraine’s Green Tech Harvest will collaborate on drone development, building on an earlier partnership between Airlogix LLC and Sentinel Research & Development. Ukraine has also indicated that Canada may join FREYA, a European missile-defence project intended to develop a lower-cost alternative to Patriot systems. The article notes that Canada faces challenges in developing a drone industry because battlefield technology and tactics change rapidly. Canadian military officials say the goal is therefore not simply to stockpile millions of drones, many of which could quickly become obsolete, but to create an industrial base capable of scaling production when needed. Canadian officials describe Ukraine as a global leader in drone warfare and say Canada has the resources to build a comparable production capacity. In addition to industrial co-operation, Canada announced $350 million for Ukrainian air-defence interceptors, nearly $435 million in loan guarantees for energy security and winter gas purchases, up to $200 million in concessional reconstruction loans, and $40.1 million for rehabilitation programs for Ukrainian veterans and their families. Prime Minister Mark Carney reaffirmed Canada’s support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and defence while acknowledging the continuing impact of Russian missile and drone attacks.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is visiting Canada from Wednesday to Friday for his first trip to the country in nearly a year, as Ukraine faces increasingly severe Russian airstrikes and seeks additional air-defence support. Zelenskyy and his wife, Olena Zelenska, arrived in Calgary on Wednesday night and were greeted by Canadian officials, including Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand. Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Mark Carney in Calgary, address a cabinet meeting in Banff, and attend events in Toronto and North Bay. According to a statement from Carney’s office, discussions will focus on defence, economic and energy co-operation, the human cost of Russia’s war, and the countries’ strong people-to-people ties. Carney said the visit demonstrates Canada’s continued leadership in supporting Ukraine and its commitment to a just and lasting peace. The visit follows Zelenskyy’s previous trip to Canada in December and Carney’s visit to Kyiv last August, during which the prime minister announced an additional $2 billion in military aid for Ukraine. Zelenskyy’s travel to Canada was also delayed after Moldova temporarily closed its airspace because of a Russian drone incursion. Moldovan authorities said a drone crashed near a village, causing fires but no injuries. Zelenskyy arrived as Kyiv faces deadly bombardments. Russian airstrikes reportedly killed at least 12 people in Kyiv over six days, while Western intelligence agencies warned of a possible escalation. Germany also accused Russia of sabotage involving a Ukrainian aircraft at Leipzig airport. Zelenskyy criticized what he called the international community’s insufficient response and urged stronger consequences for Moscow. Carney has said that if Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the G20 summit in Miami, his message will be that Russia must leave Ukraine, return occupied territory and end the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is visiting Canada from Wednesday to Friday, accompanied by his wife, Olena Zelenska, for his first Canadian visit in nearly a year. He is scheduled to attend events in Calgary, Toronto and North Bay and meet Prime Minister Mark Carney in Calgary on Thursday. The leaders are expected to participate in a signing ceremony and hold a news conference. According to a statement from Carney’s office, the visit will focus on strengthening defence, economic and energy co-operation between Canada and Ukraine. It will also address the human cost of Russia’s invasion and build on the close personal and diplomatic ties between the two countries. Carney described the visit as evidence of Canada’s continued leadership in supporting Ukraine and commitment to a just and lasting peace. Zelenskyy’s trip comes as Ukraine faces an intensifying campaign of Russian missile and drone strikes. At least 12 people were killed in Kyiv over a six-day period, while Ukrainian officials continue to seek additional air-defence systems. European leaders have warned that Russia is broadening the war, and Germany has accused Russia of sabotage involving a Ukrainian aircraft at Leipzig airport. Zelenskyy’s travel to Canada was delayed when Moldova temporarily closed its airspace after a Russian drone entered the country and crashed near a village in the Riscani district. The crash caused four fires but no injuries, and the closure delayed three departures, including the Ukrainian president’s flight. Before arriving in Canada, Zelenskyy criticized the international community for failing to respond forcefully enough to attacks on Ukrainian civilians. He said Moscow must not believe it can continue missile and drone attacks without consequences. Carney has similarly said that, if Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the G20 summit in Miami, Canada’s message will be that Russia must leave Ukraine, return occupied territory and end the war.

Canada and Ukraine have signed a declaration establishing a 100-year partnership focused on defense, economic cooperation, energy, recovery, and reconstruction. The agreement was announced during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Calgary, where he met Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and other officials. Canada pledged to help strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses through a deal involving critical interceptors supplied via the United States’ Jumpstart mechanism. The package is valued at approximately 350 million Canadian dollars. Carney said Canada has provided about 26 billion Canadian dollars in support to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion and promised continued assistance, including support for energy systems and future reconstruction. Zelenskyy expressed gratitude, calling the air-defense package crucial as Ukraine prepares for winter. Carney also highlighted the historical contribution of Ukrainian immigrants to Canada’s western prairie provinces and said Canada would help rebuild Ukraine after the war. More than one million people of Ukrainian descent live in Canada. Zelenskyy’s visit followed his attendance at King Harald V’s funeral in Norway, where his plane was delayed by a reported drone incursion. He said the main objectives of his Canadian trip were protecting Ukraine’s skies and preparing for winter, when Russia has repeatedly targeted fuel and heating infrastructure. The article also reports continued fighting. Zelenskyy said Ukraine struck a Russian oil refinery and a seaport, while Russian officials reported Ukrainian drone attacks and claimed hundreds of drones had been intercepted. Russian strikes in Dnipro reportedly killed at least two people, and a drone attack on a cargo ship near Odesa killed two Azerbaijani crew members. Ukraine blamed Russia for that attack.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Calgary, Canada, late Wednesday for meetings with Prime Minister Mark Carney and other Canadian officials. The visit is intended to secure additional support for Ukraine’s air defenses and preparations for the coming winter, when Russia has repeatedly targeted fuel, heating, and energy infrastructure. Zelenskyy said the main focus would be protecting Ukrainian skies and ensuring the country is ready for colder months. Carney said the discussions would cover defense, economic, and energy cooperation, while reaffirming Canada’s commitment to Ukraine’s defense, recovery, and reconstruction. Zelenskyy traveled to Canada after attending the funeral of Norway’s King Harald V. His aircraft was delayed by a drone incursion, underscoring the security risks surrounding his international travel. He has been conducting a series of diplomatic visits to strengthen Ukraine’s defenses and had also expressed interest in meeting US President Donald Trump before the end of September. The article also reports intensified attacks by both sides. Zelenskyy said Ukraine struck a Russian oil refinery in the Yamalo-Nenets region, a seaport in Dagestan, and other sites linked to Russia’s war industry. Russian officials reported that a woman was killed by falling drone debris in the Voronezh region and claimed that 448 Ukrainian drones were destroyed overnight. In Ukraine, Russian strikes damaged facilities belonging to a major food producer in Dnipro, killing at least two people, according to local officials. A drone attack on a cargo ship in the Odesa region killed two Azerbaijani crew members and hospitalized two others. Ukraine blamed Russia for the strike, while Azerbaijan confirmed the casualties without assigning responsibility.

Canada has agreed to provide Ukraine with a C$350 million (US$254 million) package to acquire air-defence interceptors, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The assistance comes as Kyiv faces a critical shortage of US-made Patriot interceptors, which are among the few systems capable of stopping Russia’s ballistic missiles. Moscow has intensified its missile and drone attacks, including strikes targeting civilian areas and infrastructure. Carney said the package was necessary because Russia was escalating what he called “barbaric aerial warfare” against civilian populations. He said the agreement between Canada and Ukraine would deliver critical air-defence interceptors to help protect Ukraine’s people, infrastructure and airspace. However, the Canadian prime minister did not specify which interceptor systems would be supplied or when deliveries would begin. The weapons will be provided through a US programme that enables third-party countries to purchase and quickly transfer weapons to Ukraine. The arrangement could facilitate the acquisition of systems such as Patriot missiles, although the article does not confirm that the Canadian package will consist specifically of Patriots. The announcement follows a Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv, where a damaged residential building was photographed after the strike. The package reflects continuing international efforts to strengthen Ukraine’s air defences as Russia increases its ballistic-missile campaign and Ukraine’s supply of interceptor missiles becomes critically limited.

During Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Calgary, Canada announced new military and energy support for Ukraine and committed to strengthening its long-term relationship with Kyiv. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney hosted Zelenskyy in Alberta, where Carney grew up and where approximately 350,000 people of Ukrainian descent live. The two leaders signed an agreement to work toward a “hundred-year partnership” covering defense, critical minerals and energy, building on historical ties between the countries that Carney traced to Ukrainian migration in 1893. The announced assistance includes C$350 million through the United States’ Joint Ukraine Multinational Program – Services, Training and Articles Rapid Timeline (Jumpstart) program. The funding is intended to help strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses and replenish its drone supplies as Russia intensifies ballistic missile attacks. Canada also offered C$450 million in loan guarantees to support Ukraine’s energy system. The money is expected to help repair damaged infrastructure, expand storage capacity and improve electricity supplies to hospitals, helping Ukrainians cope with winter conditions and recurring blackouts. Carney further announced that 30% of new Canadian drone production would be directed to Ukraine. Zelenskyy said the drones would be sent immediately to the battlefield to support Ukrainian soldiers and protect civilians. On possible peace negotiations, Zelenskyy said he did not expect substantive discussions during Russia’s election period. However, he said he planned to meet former US President Donald Trump in New York later in September, likely during the United Nations General Assembly, as Washington seeks to revive stalled talks. Zelenskyy’s Canadian itinerary also included an address to Carney’s cabinet retreat in Banff, followed by visits to Toronto and North Bay.