Canada will work with Ukraine to produce millions of drones for the Canadian military, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday in Calgary after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
"I have to confess that our Armed Forces currently have but 2,000 drones in our inventory. In the years to come, we will need millions," Carney said.
He also promised more air defence support for Ukraine, and the two nations signed joint statements on energy co-operation and defence.
"Canadians understand in our bones the importance of your struggle," Carney told reporters, standing alongside Zelenskyy. "There is no qualification to our commitment. Because your cause — freedom, democracy, sovereignty — is our cause."
The prime minister said the two countries finalized a $350-million agreement to deliver air defence interceptors through an American mechanism to help protect Ukraine from Russian airstrikes.
Carney also said Canada is launching a national drone marketplace for the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Coast Guard. He said the marketplace will give Canada the capacity to produce "millions of drones within the next two years."
"Today’s contracts will increase the number of drones available to the CAF tenfold," he said.
"Importantly, one-third of all the drones we manufacture will go to support Ukraine's defence of its homeland."
Zelenskyy said on social media that the measures amount to more than $2 billion, including more than $1 billion for defence.
Carney said Ukrainian "ingenuity and courage" has led it to build drone companies that are world leaders, and those companies will teach Canadian firms. Ukraine will benefit from Canadian skills in manufacturing and artificial intelligence, he said.
"This is merely the first step toward our goal of ensuring Canadian industry has the capacity — the factories, supply chains, and key components — to produce millions of drones over the next two years," his office added in a news release.
Zelenskyy said another drone deal with Canada should be finalized within weeks.
Carney pointed out that "Ukraine had agreed to drastically reduce its arsenal in the wake of the breakup of the Soviet Union," in exchange for an understanding that other countries would protect Ukraine from invasion.
He said Canada is also boosting its humanitarian support to help Ukraine meet its energy needs. Carney said the two countries have signed a "declaration for a 100-year partnership" that covers defence, trade, reconstruction and critical minerals.
Earlier, Zelenskyy told reporters he was thankful for the air-defence support.
"This is crucial. This is a big deficit in the world. We are thankful for this," Zelenskyy said, praising Canada's financial, diplomatic and moral support throughout the war.
"We are thankful that we have such strong partners as Canadians."
Zelenskyy said he expects Moscow to intensify its attacks but insisted they won't break Ukrainian resolve.
"Knowing Russia, when they hear that we have somewhere negotiations — with Europeans, with Canadians, with Americans — when they hear, they try to intensify attacks on us, just to break any kind of negotiations."
Zelenskyy said his visit to Canada includes a discussion of preparations for winter, given the prospect of further Russian strikes on critical infrastructure. He addressed federal cabinet members gathered in Banff, Alta., later in the day.
Zelenskyy was also scheduled to travel to Toronto and North Bay, Ont., before departing Canada on Friday.
Carney noted the huge Ukrainian-Canadian population in Alberta and its contributions to many communities over decades.
"Ukrainians helped build this province, this country. And Canada will help rebuild Ukraine when peace comes," Carney said.
Both nations also released a joint statement on liquefied natural gas, nuclear and green energy linking Ukraine's recovery with Canadian economic growth.
The statement says the two countries "welcome dialogue with (the) Canadian private sector to facilitate long-term agreements on LNG supply from Canada to Ukraine.
"They note Ukraine's significant underground gas storage capacity and its potential contribution to regional energy resilience."
After answering questions from the media, Carney and Zelenskyy were given a drone demonstration from Ukrainian defence technology companies Airlogix and SkyFall.
Walking along gravel to a tented flatscreen TV outdoors, the two watched through the eyes of the drones.
"I wouldn't mind if it were centred a little farther away from me," Carney said with a laugh as the drones flew overhead.
The Kiel Institute, which measures global contributions to Ukraine, pegs Canada as the fourth most generous nation in raw dollars, and in 12th place based on gross domestic product. Canada's donations include military aid, government financing and humanitarian support.
Ukraine has managed in recent months to hold back Russian advances and strike targets within Russia, including oil refineries and warehouses owned by Russia's biggest online retailer.
Moscow has at times hinted at an end to the conflict, but Ukrainian and European officials have said the war should only end on terms that prevent Russia from rearming and attacking elsewhere.
Zelenskyy's visit to Canada comes as European leaders argue Russia is widening its war through acts of sabotage, such as paying youths to vandalize railways. European airports have had to halt operations multiple times due to drone incursions attributed to Russia.
Across Europe, political parties once considered fringe over their support for Russia have seen their popularity increase as the continent tackles economic, environmental and migration crises.
Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
