Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney signed the document in Calgary, where Zelensky arrived at the Canadian prime minister's invitation. According to the Canadian government's press service, the declaration is intended to "raise relations between the countries to the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership." Ottawa pledged to continue meeting Ukraine's "urgent military needs."
Canada will allocate 350 million Canadian dollars (about $254 million) to strengthen Ukrainian air defense. According to Carney, interceptor missiles will be purchased through the American Jump Start mechanism, which allows allies to order weapons for Ukraine from the United States, Bloomberg reports.
Carney announced that over the next two years Canada will produce "millions of drones," a third of which will be directed to supporting Ukraine. According to him, the sides agreed to jointly produce unmanned systems, counter-drone equipment and munitions. The cooperation envisages combining Ukrainian combat experience with Canadian industrial capacity, software and AI development, the prime minister specified.
Canada will launch a "national drone market" that will give its Armed Forces direct access to roughly 400 suppliers. The Canadian outlet CBC notes that the country's army currently has only 2,000 drones of all types.
Zelensky specified that only the first part of the agreement, called the Drone Deal, has been signed. According to him, final approval of the deal could take place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, which starts at the end of September.
Separately, Ottawa will provide more than 430 million Canadian dollars (about $310 million) in loan guarantees for gas purchases. As reported on the website of the Office of the Canadian Prime Minister, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development will receive new guarantees worth almost 435 million dollars - to support energy security, purchase gas for the winter and acquire backup generators. Canada will direct another 10 million dollars to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund for the purchase of critically important energy equipment.
Zelensky thanked Canada for the energy agreements, saying they will strengthen Ukraine before the winter and in the longer term. The Canadian training mission UNIFIER for Ukrainian military personnel has been officially extended until 2029.