Canada pledges $4.3B in support for Ukraine as Carney, Zelenskyy meet at G7

Winnipeg Free Press

3 hours ago

KANANASKIS – Prime Minister Mark Carney outlined $4.3 billion in new support for Ukraine's defence as he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Alberta on Tuesday.
The Prime Minister's Office said that sum includes $2 billion for the purchase and donation of weapons and materiel like drones, ammunition and armoured vehicles — funding that Canada will count toward its NATO defence spending target.
Canada is lending Ukraine $2.3 billion to help the embattled country rebuild its infrastructure.
The Prime Minister's Office said the loan will be repaid by interest collected on Russian assets frozen in Europe.
Canada also announced a new sanctions package targeting Russia's shadow fleet and energy revenues.
Carney, who is serving as the G7 summit host this year, invited Zelenskyy to the meeting and has said Canada intends to make Ukraine's defence a central aspect of the discussions.
As the two met on Tuesday morning, Carney condemned 'in the strongest terms' the latest round of Russian attacks, which Zelenskyy said targeted civilian infrastructure, including housing.
'This underscores the importance of standing in total solidarity with Ukraine, with the Ukrainian people, and we had a discussion last night amongst G7 leaders … We underscored the importance of using maximum pressure against Russia, who has refused to come to the table,' Carney said.
Twelve people were killed and more than 130 injured when Kyiv was bombarded overnight with 32 missiles and more than 440 drones, Zelenskyy said — the deadliest attack on the capital this year.
'It's a big tragedy for us and we need support from our allies,' he said.
'We are ready for the peace negotiations, unconditional ceasefire. I think it's very important, but for this we need pressure.'
The U.K. announced Tuesday a new package of sanctions targeting a number of Russian ships involved in transporting oil as part of the so-called shadow fleet.
Ottawa's sanctions target 77 individuals and 39 entities in Russia, and also list 201 vessels it says Russia is using to evade sanctions by transporting oil, natural gas and weapons.
The Canadian government included the $2 billion in military donations to Ukraine in its updated defence spending calculations announced earlier this month.
The Liberals outlined plans on June 9 to rapidly scale up defence spending to the equivalent of two per cent of GDP — a target that Canada has agreed to for over a decade but has never actually met.
Carney cited that plan in a Tuesday morning meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
He said Canada is 'stepping up to meet our commitments and (I) look forward to defining those new responsibilities and capabilities.'
Rutte said that with Canada and Portugal promising to boost spending, all NATO countries are expected to reach the alliance's two per cent spending target in 2025.
The alliance is set to meet next week in The Hague, where leaders are set to discuss plans to raise the target to five per cent of GDP.
— With files from Sarah Ritchie in Ottawa
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 17, 2025.