Canada has pledged an additional $2 billion in military equipment, including over 400 armored vehicles, to Ukraine as the ongoing conflict with Russia enters its fifth year. Prime Minister Mark Carney made the announcement during a press briefing on Tuesday, along with Global Affairs Canada revealing new sanctions targeting Russian entities involved in supporting Moscow’s war efforts, such as AI firms, drone manufacturers, and oil smugglers.
Carney also extended Operation Unifier, a Canadian military training mission that has trained around 47,000 Ukrainian soldiers since 2015, for another three years. He emphasized Canada’s long-term commitment to supporting Ukraine and urged Russia to engage in peace negotiations.
Leaders from the “coalition of the willing,” who have offered security assurances to Ukraine post-ceasefire, convened on Tuesday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, after the meeting, stated that Russia has not achieved its objectives in Ukraine and announced an upcoming trilateral meeting involving negotiators from Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. to discuss a ceasefire within the next week or 10 days.
The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine reported over 15,000 civilian deaths and 40,000 injuries since the conflict began, with a Washington-based think tank estimating up to 600,000 military casualties for Ukraine and 1.2 million for Russia. Carney highlighted the importance of imposing sanctions on Russia’s “shadow fleet” of tankers, which operate outside international regulations to evade sanctions and price controls.
Additionally, G7 nations, including Canada, have reduced the price cap on Russian oil sales to put economic pressure on Moscow. Despite these efforts, military history expert David Silbey noted little change on the battlefield and suggested a prolonged conflict due to the entrenched positions of both sides.
Canada has now committed over $25.5 billion in aid to Ukraine since February 2022, including financial support, humanitarian aid, and $8.5 billion in military assistance. The funding for the new armored vehicles will be allocated in the upcoming fiscal year, with Ukraine set to receive 66 LAV-6s from General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada and 383 Senator armored patrol vehicles from Roshel. Defense Minister David McGuinty assured that these purchases for Ukraine will not compromise Canada’s military rearmament efforts, emphasizing the growth of the defense sector as part of the country’s strategic plan.