Canada is pledging more support for Ukraine as it grapples with Russia’s ongoing invasion by deepening cooperation in key areas such as defence, critical minerals and intelligence sharing, Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a joint statement.
Zelenskyy is seeking military support from allies as Russia’s attacks from the air target Ukraine’s energy grid.
“Meeting at a moment of global rupture, the leaders reaffirmed their intention to build a new order founded on trust, rooted in shared values, and underpinned by the strength and determination to uphold them,” a joint statement from the two read.
Both countries agreed to establish “a long-term defence industrial partnership,” including the joint production of counter-drone capabilities.
“Canada will always stand in solidarity with Ukraine,” Carney said.
Canada and Ukraine also agreed to ensure “safe and secure navigation in the Black Sea,” a key shipping route for food grains for markets across the world.
Carney and Zelenskyy signed a “Declaration for a Hundred Year Partnership” between Canada and Ukraine.
Ottawa and Kyiv “will codify a long-term framework for cooperation across defence and security, trade and investment, reconstruction, energy, critical minerals, and technology,” Carney said.
“We are already strong, but we have to be stronger to have a real dialogue with Putin,” Zelenskyy said that the “best way” to defend Ukraine is to find a way to end the war.
The federal government will also ramp up its defence drone production, with a plan to “produce millions of drones within the next two years,” he added.
Based on a model employed by the Ukrainian government, Canada will set up a “national drone market place,” which will give access to the Canadian Armed Forces to around 400 Canadian drone suppliers.
“One-third of all the drones we manufacture will go to support Ukraine’s defence of its homeland,” Carney said.
Canada still working with U.S.
Canada can “continue to work with the United States” when it comes to supporting Ukraine despite ongoing trade tensions between Ottawa and Washington, he added.
“We can compartmentalize,” Carney said, adding that a “mutually beneficial deal” was still possible on trade.
“Canada is always ready to strike a fair deal. We believe there’s a mutually beneficial deal for Canada and the United States, and our team (and) myself are ready. I speak regularly to President Trump,” he said.
Energy agreement
In addition to a broader cooperation agreement, Canada and Ukraine also signed an energy cooperation agreement.
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson and his Ukrainian counterpart Denys Shmyhal signed an agreement that would see deeper cooperation on LNG and energy security.
The agreement also included commitments on nuclear energy, as well as hydroelectric power and other forms of renewable energy.
Zelenskyy last visited Canada in December, stopping in Halifax, amid efforts to end the war that Russia started in 2014 and escalated with a full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Kyiv has suffered a barrage of Russian airstrikes in recent months, and Ukraine has pleaded for more air defence support from its allies.
Since 2022, Canada has pledged $6.5 billion in military assistance for Ukraine running through to 2029.
“Canada remains steadfast in our commitment to support Ukraine’s defence, recovery, and reconstruction,” Carney said in a statement Wednesday.
–with files from Canadian Press