On Thursday 10 September 2026, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Calgary, where he announced a package of air‑defence aid, loan guarantees for energy reconstruction and a pledge to deepen bilateral ties through a proposed hundred‑year partnership. The visit underscored Canada’s commitment to bolstering Ukraine’s resilience amid intensifying Russian missile strikes.
Air Defence and Drone Assistance
Carney confirmed that Canada will provide C$350 million (US$253 million) through the United States’ Joint Ukraine Multinational Programme – Services, Training and Articles Rapid Timeline (Jumpstart) initiative to strengthen Ukraine’s air defences and replenish its drone stocks. He noted that 30 % of all new Canadian drone production will be directed to Ukraine, a move Zelenskyy praised by saying, “these drones will go to Ukraine immediately to the battlefield, immediately to our people, our soldiers … to save our children, our families first of all.”
Energy Support and Financial Guarantees
In addition to the defence package, Carney announced C$450 million in loan guarantees aimed at repairing Ukraine’s damaged energy infrastructure, increasing storage capacity and improving power supplies to hospitals. He described the goal as “to help Ukrainians get through the winter”, a period when rolling blackouts often accompany frigid temperatures. The funding is expected to accelerate repairs and bolster energy security ahead of the harsh season.
Building a Hundred‑Year Partnership
The leaders signed an agreement to negotiate a “hundred‑year partnership” that would formalise cooperation across defence, critical minerals and energy. Carney highlighted the historic ties between the two nations, noting, “Our two nations have been connected since 1893,” and added, “Ukrainians helped build Canada and Canadians will help rebuild Ukraine.” He pointed out that Alberta alone is home to an estimated 350,000 Canadians of Ukrainian descent, underscoring the deep community links that underpin the renewed commitment.
Zelenskyy’s Canadian Tour Continues
Following the Calgary talks, Zelenskyy is set to travel to Banff to address a cabinet retreat for Carney’s liberal government, before proceeding to Toronto and North Bay in northern Ontario. When asked about prospects for negotiations to ease the fighting, Zelenskyy said he did not anticipate substantive talks during Russia’s ongoing election period, but revealed plans to meet former US President Donald Trump in New York City in late September, likely on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. He remarked, “But at the end of September, we will have an opportunity to meet, I think, with the American team in New York,” and added, “And I think that … I can be more open after the New York meeting with President Trump.”
Why it Matters
The Calgary visit signals a tangible escalation of Western support for Ukraine at a time when Russian missile barrages are testing the country’s air‑defence capabilities. By coupling immediate military aid with long‑term financial guarantees for energy recovery, Canada addresses both urgent battlefield needs and the broader challenge of sustaining civilian life through winter. The proposed hundred‑year framework could institutionalise a durable alliance, ensuring that cooperation extends well beyond the current conflict and shapes future security, trade and technological collaboration between Ottawa and Kyiv.