Ukraine is about to get more help from its Canadian ally

The 2024 Washington Summit saw NATO’s 32-member states pledge $59 billion dollars in military assistance to Ukraine as part of a new security aid package designed to help the embattled nation, and Canada promised to do its part. 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged over $500 million in new assistance for Kyiv as a part of the Canadian commitment to helping Ukraine defend its freedom. What will all of this new money go towards? Let’s take a look at the plan. 

The Prime Minister’s office issued a statement on Canada’s new pledge to Ukraine and it noted that its new commitments include $444 million that will go to Canada’s National Defence Department to support the costs of helping Kyiv. 

Canada will spend $444 million on military equipment for Kyiv and on assistance to and training for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Specifics on what military equipment would be sent to Ukraine were not detailed in the government statement. 

The Prime Minister’s office did reveal that the federal government was allocating $389 million to enhance F-16 pilot training through the Ukraine Defense Contact Group Air Force Capability Coalition to support Ukrainian pilots. 

Canada will not only train more pilots via its additional funding but also provide Ukraine with the support and critical equipment it requires to safely operate the F-16 to combat the threat currently being posed by the Russian Air Force.

$56 million will be allocated for NATO’s Comprehensive Assistance Package trust fund for Ukraine, which is focused on rebuilding the country’s security and defense sector as well as Ukraine's ability to become interoperable with NATO forces. 

Canadian money will also support the launch of NATO’s new Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine, which is a plan designed to coordinate military training, logistical support, and equipment support for the Ukrainians. 

“For 75 years, NATO has been a cornerstone of transatlantic security, an Alliance united by the values of freedom, justice, and the rule of law,” Trudeau remarked during a press conference announcing the new military aid for Ukraine. 

“As threats to peace and security become increasingly complex, Canada and our government stand ready to step up… we will strengthen our work to defend peace, protect democracy, and build a better, fairer, and more prosperous world for everyone,” Trudeau added. 

Canada also signed onto the Ukraine Compact, which is a joint statement by G7 that reconfirms their commitment to the “enduring support” of Ukrainian self-defense and the country’s deterrence capabilities. 

The funds being provided to Ukraine are in addition to the money Ottawa has already earmarked from Kyiv in 2024, a commitment that now totals $1.1 billion dollars for the year. Overall, Canada has given Ukraine nearly three times the amount. 

According to the Government of Canada, Ottawa has provided $4.5 billion in military aid and financial assistance to its Ukrainian allies since Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and plans to support Kyiv through 2029. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Canada and Trudeau for committing more money to Ukraine’s defense, saying: “It is very important for our people to hear this,” according to a report from the Ukrainian military news website Militarnyi. 

“Thank you for your help, for the additional defense package. It will strengthen our heroes on the battlefield,” Zelensky added. 

Canada is currently preparing another shipment of new LAV 6.0 ACSV armored personnel carriers made in London, Ontario. The first shipment of these essential vehicles was received by Ukraine in June 2024.  

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Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By Amqui, Own Work, CC BY-SA 4.0