Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced plans to produce millions of drones over the next two years and send one-third of them to Ukraine as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy seeks more military support against Russia.
Ukraine is facing intensified Russian air attacks involving ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones, with strikes targeting energy infrastructure ahead of winter, reports AP. Carney said Canada currently has about 2,000 drones but needs millions in the coming years. New contracts announced on Thursday will increase the country’s drone fleet tenfold.
“Importantly, one-third of all the drones we manufacture will go to support Ukraine’s defense of its homeland,” Carney said during Zelenskyy’s three-day visit to Canada. Canada also announced C$350 million ($254 million) worth of air-defence interceptors for Ukraine through a US mechanism. Zelenskyy called the package “crucial”, saying air-defence systems remain in short supply worldwide.
Ottawa will provide more than C$430 million ($312 million) in loan guarantees to help Ukraine buy natural gas ahead of winter. Carney said Canada would continue supporting Ukraine after the war. “Ukrainians helped build Canada, and Canadians will help rebuild Ukraine,” he said.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine needed to strengthen its defences before meaningful talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“We need to be strong, not to be weak,” he said, calling for a “strong and lasting peace.” Meanwhile, Ukraine said its forces struck Russian infrastructure targets, including a refinery in Siberia, using long-range drones. Russia also reported drone attacks on several regions.
