The prime minister of Canada Justin Trudeau and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky shake hands during their joint press conference on June 10, 2023 in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Photo by Alexey Furman/Getty Images)
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has pledged an additional $500 million in military aid to Ukraine in the country’s ongoing war with Russia.
The half-a-billion dollars in aid is in addition to the $4 billion in military support and $10 billion in humanitarian aid and other assistance Canada has given Ukraine to date.
Mr. Trudeau met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on July 11 during the final day of the NATO summit in the United States, the prime minister’s office said in a press release.
“Prime Minister Trudeau reaffirmed Canada’s ongoing and unwavering support for Ukraine,” the government said. “He noted Canada’s commitment to provide an additional $500 million in military assistance to Ukraine as part of NATO’s pledge of long-term security assistance for Ukraine, as well as further support to enhance F-16 training for Ukrainian pilots through the Ukraine Defense Contact Group Air Force Capability Coalition.”
Mr. Zelenskyy thanked Mr. Trudeau on social media, saying the aid would “strengthen our heroes on the battlefield.”
“Today, together with Canada’s prime minister, we discussed Ukraine’s defence needs and coordinated cooperation within the coalition of fighter jets,” he wrote in a post on platform X.
“We also discussed the expansion of training missions for Ukrainian pilots and the possibility of additional training on Canadian flight simulators.”
Other NATO allies also made financial and military commitments to help Ukraine, including the United States.
President Joe Biden announced $225 million in military aid for the country on July 11. The aid package is expected to include an additional Patriot missile system for Ukraine’s air defences.
The U.S. also pledged $150 million in weapons on June 28 and $2.2 billion in Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative funds. Washington has provided more than $50 billion in military aid since 2022.
Collectively, NATO allies have committed $40 billion euros—US$43.28 billion—in military aid over the next year.
The aid includes a NATO command in Wiesbaden, Germany to offer training and delivery of security assistance to Ukraine. There are also logistical nodes in eastern member countries, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said.
Summit pledges include “immediate military aid” including air defence systems and F-16 jets, 20 bilateral security agreements for Ukraine, and a joint training centre in Bydgoszca, Poland, Mr. Stoltenberg said.
The aid was announced after the 32 members of NATO said they saw Ukraine as on an “irreversible” path to membership.