CALGARY, Alberta - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced on Thursday that Canada will supply Ukraine with a "very important package of air defense" and offer support for the country's energy industry. The comments came shortly before a planned meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney in Calgary.
Zelenskiy did not provide details about the air defence materiel or outline the nature of the energy-sector assistance. He emphasized the importance of the move, saying, "This is a very important package of air defense. This is crucial."
The announcement arrives as Kyiv faces critical shortages of U.S.-made Patriot interceptors, which are among the systems capable of intercepting ballistic missiles. The shortfall is occurring at a time when, according to the president's remarks, Moscow has intensified its attacks.
Canada, described by Zelenskiy as one of Ukraine's most vocal defenders, has already committed more than C$25.5 billion in overall aid since the February 2022 invasion, including C$8.5 billion earmarked for military assistance. Zelenskiy's public comments did not specify how the new air defence package would fit within or expand on that existing support.
Zelenskiy and Prime Minister Carney were scheduled to address the media at approximately 10:30 Mountain Time (1630 GMT). In his own remarks to reporters, Carney pledged additional Canadian assistance aimed at helping Ukraine repel Russian attacks and supporting Kyiv's aspirations for NATO and European Union membership.
Carney said, "Ukrainians help build this province, this country. Canada will help rebuild Ukraine when peace comes." The prime minister's statement framed future Canadian support as both defensive in the near term and reconstruction-oriented in the longer term.
Canada hosts an estimated 1.3 to 1.4 million people of Ukrainian descent, forming one of the largest Ukrainian diasporas globally. On arrival in Canada, Zelenskiy had indicated that bolstering air defences and preparations for the winter would be central topics of his visit, though he did not expand on the specifics of either area during the media briefing.
While the announcement signals further Canadian engagement on defence and energy, the absence of concrete details leaves open questions about timing, capabilities, and the form of energy-sector assistance. Officials were expected to provide additional information at the joint media appearance later in the day.