Canada Pledges Over $2B in Air Defense, First Drone Deal Signed

In brief: President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday, Sept. 10, that Canada pledged more than $2 billion in new support for Ukraine, including over $1 billion for defense. The package includes urgently needed Patriot missiles, F-16 ammunition, and energy cooperation.

Canada pledged more than $2 billion in new support for Ukraine, including over $1 billion for defense needs, including Patriots, F-16 ammunition and joint drone production, while the two countries also signed the first document finalizing a Drone Deal.

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the package on Thursday, Sept. 10, following a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The agreements cover Ukraine’s energy sector and a series of joint initiatives as well.

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“Ukraine and Canada will always be friends, and will always strengthen one another,” Zelensky said , adding that “this [Drone Deal agreement] will give us greater capacity to finance Ukraine’s defense, and give Canada new technological capabilities, tested by modern warfare.”

The defense package was intended to reinforce Ukraine’s ability to intercept Russian threats – particularly ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones, including Shaheds – that can be successfully deterred only by US-made Patriot interceptors.

Russia continues to change its air attack tactics , with recent strikes relying more on jet-powered weapons that can fly at speeds of 400-600 kilometers per hour (roughly 249-373 miles per hour), making them significantly harder to intercept .

According to Zelensky, pilot training is already underway in Canada, with 21 Ukrainians currently enrolled.

“And this will be a substantial reinforcement, together with other countries that are, at various stages, training our people on combat aircraft,” Zelensky said.

Beyond defense, Zelensky said Canada agreed to concrete energy-sector cooperation intended to help Ukraine, both in the upcoming winter and over the long term. However, he did not provide further details or specify the scope of the agreements.

Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to prepare for its fifth winter of war by stockpiling food and water , compiling lists of residents that may need temporary relocation , as well as holding governmental meetings with ministers of energy and heads of Ukraine’s state-owned energy companies, including Naftogaz, Ukrenergo, Energoatom, Ukrhydroenergo.

Russian forces are expected to target critical infrastructure; power grid, water supplies and heating.

According to Zelensky, a veterans’ fund will be established to support Ukraine’s veteran programs. “I am grateful to Canada for its contribution to this fund,” he said, adding that the country will contribute $40 million to the cause.

Zelensky arrived in Canada on Wednesday, Sept. 9, for a three-day visit focused on strengthening bilateral ties, defense and further cooperation between Kyiv and Ottawa.

He opened the bilateral talks by signing a historic 100-year partnership agreement with Carney in Calgary earlier on Thursday, as Canada also pledged to contribute technology to Ukraine’s European anti-ballistic missile program, FREYJA.

The program aims to build alternatives to the US-made Patriot interceptors, and includes integrated protection against aerial threats through cooperation among Ukraine, Norway, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

The commitments come as Ukraine faces repeated, coordinated large-scale strikes nationwide, which have significantly increased following the departure of senior US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner , who had visited Kyiv and Moscow throughout the weekend as Washington’s intermediaries.

As of Thursday evening, more than 120 people had been injured and at least 7 had been killed nationwide , despite the meetings being viewed as positive and substantive from all three sides. Russia’s recent strikes have cast further doubt on the realistic outcomes of the negotiations.

Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to pursue alliances abroad, deepening bilateral relationships and finalizing agreements with partner nations on air defense.

On Tuesday, Sept. 8, Ukraine announced it was signing contracts with partners for the supply of about 1,000 Patriot missiles for its air defense systems ahead of the winter.

Around the same time, Germany said it would urgently transfer PAC-2 missiles to Ukraine from its own Bundeswehr (national military) stocks.

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