Canada boosts support for Ukraine, UCC welcomes decision

Canada will provide Ukraine with an additional $1.5 billion in military aid and impose tighter sanctions against Russia, the nation’s Prime Minister Mark Carney announced ahead of his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the G7 summit.

“We are delivering more military support — including drones, helicopters, and a broader range of weapons — worth over 2 billion [Canadian] dollars directly to Ukraine. Additionally, we are releasing the next tranche of a loan secured by frozen Russian assets, also exceeding $2 billion,” Carney said.

Carney said Canada will work closely with European and other allies to ensure continued support for Ukraine.

This new sanctions package is the largest Canada has imposed to date. It targets 77 individuals and 39 organizations involved in supporting Russian aggression, nearly 1,000 new product categories, and 201 vessels belonging to Russia’s covert fleet of tankers that ship oil.

“This is one of Canada’s most important sanctions announcements since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, comprising its biggest-ever package of vessel- and trade-related sanctions,” Canada’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said.

Among other measures, Canada is banning exports of goods connected to chemical and biological weapons, industrial products, and dual-use technologies, while also restricting imports of coal and metals.

The sanctions list now includes three financial institutions that help the Kremlin circumvent restrictions and 17 individuals linked to Russia’s quantum technology sector. Ottawa has also added people who support Russia’s military-industrial complex and spread disinformation.

Since 2014, Canada has sanctioned over 3,300 individuals and entities involved in aggression against Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) praised the Canadian government’s move. 

“It is now more critical than ever that Canada and allies step up assistance to Ukraine. Today’s announcement by Prime Minister Carney of additional Canadian support to Ukraine is an important step in this direction,” the UCC said.