What You Need to Know
Today, the Prime Minister welcomed the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to Canada this week to forge a new chapter in the Canada-Ukraine partnership. The leaders announced a series of new initiatives to bolster Canada’s sovereign drone capabilities, expand coproduction with Ukraine, and establish long-term cooperation on defence and security.
First, to accelerate Canada’s own production capabilities, Prime Minister Carney today announced the creation of the Defence Drone Initiative Marketplace (DDIM) Supply Arrangement. This national digital drone marketplace will connect operators and end-users to this Canadian defence ecosystem – accelerating the discovery, acquisition, and fielding of uncrewed and counter-uncrewed capabilities.
Canada has awarded initial contracts worth up to $50 million that will increase the number of drones currently deployed by the Canadian Armed Forces tenfold.
Additionally, these procurements put Canada’s Build-Partner-Buy approach into action – drawing on Canadian capabilities, partnering with trusted Allies and partners, and ensuring that defence investments deliver benefits for Canadians.
Second, the Prime Minister and President underlined a new partnership to develop and produce critical drones and drone-related technologies.
This partnership will expand Canadian and Ukrainian collaboration on every aspect of drone production, from the critical metals and minerals to engineering.
It will leverage Canadian manufacturing to respond to Ukraine’s critical defence needs, while supporting hundreds of good jobs in Canada, and will unlock new opportunities in the skilled trades, engineering, and computer science sectors. With other partnerships in negotiations, Canada is scaling up our defence industries to defend Canada and be a reliable partner.
Third, Canada and Ukraine are forging a long term, government to government, partnership to jointly produce uncrewed systems, counter-drone technologies, and priority munitions – combining Ukrainian battlefield experience with Canadian manufacturing, software, and AI.
Building on Canada’s support for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the Prime Minister also announced a series of additional investments to bolster Ukraine’s defence and long-term security:
Approximately $350 million to deliver critical air defence interceptors through the United States’ Joint Ukraine Multinational Program – Services, Training and Articles Rapid Timeline (JUMPSTART).
Nearly $23 million in funding to bolster the capabilities of Ukraine’s security architecture – helping detect, prevent, and respond to hybrid threats to civilian safety.
Finally, the leaders signed the Canada-Ukraine Declaration for a 100-Year Partnership, along with joint statements, establishing a new roadmap which will bolster the comprehensive strategic partnership between Canada and Ukraine.
With the investments announced today, Canada’s total commitments of multifaceted assistance for Ukraine have now reached over $26 billion since 2022. Canada has consistently been among the largest contributors to Ukraine’s defence, recovery, and reconstruction.
Canada continues to work toward securing a just and lasting peace that reunites children with their families, fortifies Ukraine’s forces, builds prosperity for the Ukrainian people, and deters Russia from ever again threatening the peace and security of Ukraine or Europe.
