OTTAWA -- Canada is joining a three-month-old partnership with several key allies to send air defence missiles to Ukraine.
Defence Minister Bill Blair is in the United Kingdom today and announced Canada's $33 million contribution on a visit to Canadian soldiers helping train Ukrainian recruits at Lydd Military Training Camp.
The money comes from the $500 million fund Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced in June 2023 for military assistance in Ukraine.
That same month the U.K., Denmark, Netherlands and the United States partnered to deliver hundreds of short- and medium-range air defence missiles to help Ukraine protect itself against Russian missile and drone attacks.
For a little more than a year, Canadian Armed Forces personnel have run training courses at Lydd for about 2,600 Ukrainian recruits in weapons handling, battlefield first aid and patrol tactics.
Canada has contributed $8 billion in aid to Ukraine over the last year and a half, including $1.8 billion in military assistance including for weapons, ammunition, military vehicles, drone cameras and winter clothing.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2023.
