Question Period Note: Military Assistance Donations to Ukraine

What is this Government doing to support Ukraine against Russia’s violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity?

• Canada remains committed to Ukraine and we are working closely with our Allies and partners to ensure that they have the training and equipment needed to defend their sovereignty and security.
• That is why we signed a historic security cooperation agreement with Ukraine, which brings our military assistance commitment to $4 billion, and will enable us to continue delivering assistance to Ukraine through to 2029.
• As part of this commitment, we are investing $650 million to provide Ukraine with 50 state-of-the-art Armoured Combat Support Vehicles built here in Canada.
• The first four of these vehicles are heading to Europe, where members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be trained on their use this summer.
• We are also providing Ukraine with 29 surplus Nanuk Remote Weapons Systems, which can be integrated on various armoured vehicle platforms.
• We are further donating an initial tranche of over 2,000 CRV7 rocket motors, and over 130,000 rounds of surplus small arms ammunition to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
• I remain in discussion with Ukrainian officials to determine what equipment we can provide to them to fulfill their most urgent needs.

If pressed on National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) donation delays:

• Canada has financed the purchase of the NASAMS through the United States government.
• The NASAMS is expected to be delivered to Ukraine in early 2025.
• We remain in close contact with the US and Ukraine about this purchase, and we look forward to sharing additional information as it becomes available.
• Our recent $76 million donation to Germany’s Air Defence initiative is part of this effort to help supply Ukraine with much-needed air defence systems.
• We are also proud to be part of the Air Force Capability Coalition by supporting F-16 training with maintenance and pilot instructors, support staff, and language training.

If pressed on donations falling into the wrong hands:

• Our position remains that we are not – nor will we be – providing support to Azov and affiliated extremist entities.
• Canadian donations of military aid are provided exclusively to the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine and the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
• Ukraine’s Armed Forces have signed a declaration with National Defence that all weapons provided will not be transferred to any other entity.

Military Aid Committed Since February 2022

• Military equipment requested by Ukraine, including personal protective equipment, night vision gear, medical supplies, helmets, and other highly specialized pieces of military equipment;
• A National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS) and associated missiles;
• 8 Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks and 1 armoured recovery vehicle (ARV);
• 39 Armoured Combat Support Vehicles (ACSVs);
• 208 commercial pattern armoured vehicles;
• 50 armoured vehicles, including armoured medical evacuation vehicles;
• Heavy artillery, including 4 M777 Howitzers and related ammunition;
• 10 rigid hull multirole boats, with operator training;
• Over 2,000 gas masks;
• AIM-7 missiles for air defence systems;
• 76 high resolution cameras;
• Over 33,600 military-grade small arms and approximately 14 million rounds of ammunition;
• Engineering munitions and demining equipment;
• Defensive construction equipment;
• Anti-armour weapons systems and rocket launchers;
• Over 640,000 individual meal packs;
• Winter clothing and equipment;
• High-resolution satellite imagery.
• Military Equipment provided from 2015 to January 2022 included body armour, communications gear, and explosive disposal equipment.

Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG)

• The UDCG was created to provide a strategic mechanism to identify critical equipment needs and gaps for Ukraine, allow Allies and partners to de-conflict donations, to consult and coordinate assistance to Ukraine, and to build the Armed Forces of Ukraine’s (AFU) long-term capabilities. The UDCG brings together over 50 countries.
• The 18th UDCG in January 2024 marked the first iteration of UDCG 2.0 which focused on updates from the nine Capability Coalitions, namely, the Armour, Artillery, Air Defence, Air Force, Uncrewed Aeriel Systems (UAS), Maritime, Information Technology (IT), Special Operations, and Demining Coalitions.
• Canada’s priority objectives for the UDCG include supporting the efforts of Allies and partners to coordinate military assistance donations and the delivery of urgent priority equipment to Ukraine, facilitating longer-term capabilities development by the AFU, reinforcing concrete Canadian commitments to Ukraine, and providing an update on Canada’s new military assistance commitment to Ukraine.

Security Assistance Group-Ukraine (SAG-U)

• The CAF is working alongside 17 other nations as part of the US-led Security Assistance Group. Approximately 21 CAF members, led by a Brigadier-General, are actively helping to facilitate the transfer of aid, working to align future donations, and planning for the immediate and long-term training needs of the AFU in concert with our Allies and partners. The Canadian Army Brigadier-General is also employed as the SAG-U Deputy Commanding General – Training to oversee training efforts.

Donation of Armoured Vehicles

• Parliamentarians have expressed an interest through Question Period and House Committees regarding providing Ukraine with divested military vehicles including Bison, Tracked Light Armoured Vehicles, and Coyotes.
• On September 22, 2023, Prime Minister Trudeau announced that Canada would invest $650M to provide Ukraine with armoured vehicles, including medical evacuation vehicles.
  • On June 12, 2024, National Defence announced that the first four of 50 new Armoured Combat Support Vehicles (ACSVs) built by Canadian Workers at General Dynamics Land Systems in London, Ontario, are leaving London, Ontario and heading to Europe later this month. Members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) will be trained in their use this summer.
  • These state-of-the-art armoured vehicles will fulfil a wide variety of roles on the battlefield – including transporting troops, providing secure locations for command and control, and enabling medical evacuations.
• On April 26, 2022, Minister Anand announced that Canada finalized a contract for the purchase of eight commercial pattern armoured vehicles manufactured by Roshel, an armoured vehicle company based in Mississauga, Ontario.
• In early August 2022, Canada finalized a procurement contract to supply Ukraine with 39 Armoured Combat Support Vehicles.
  • All of the vehicles have arrived in Europe, and related training was completed in December 2022.
  • The contract with General Dynamics also includes elements for repairs and servicing.
• On January 18, 2023, Minister Anand announced that Canada will supply Ukraine with 200 Roshel Senator Armoured Vehicles, valued at over $90 million.
  • The contract for these vehicles was sourced through the Canadian Commercial Corporation. The contract directly responds to Ukraine’s request for this specific model of vehicle, which the AFU are experienced in operating, and for which Ukraine has already developed a sustainment plan.
  • Roshel was responsible for delivering the vehicles to Ukraine. Delivery was completed in summer 2023.

Donation of CRV7 Rockets

• On June 13, 2024, Minister Blair announced that Canada plans to send an initial tranche of over 2000 CRV7 rocket motors to Ukraine. The decommissioned rocket motors were previously used by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) on CF-18 fighter aircraft.
  • Magellan Aerospace and Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) have been testing the rocket motors to ensure their viability. Initial testing on the CRV7 motors is complete, and a report is being finalized. National Defence is seeking the requisite waivers and permits to transport the equipment safely.
  • Magellan Aerospace and DRDC continue to test additional samples of CRV7 rocket motors. As further testing results are made available, Canada will assess the feasibility of additional CRV7 motor donations.

M113 Personnel Carriers

• Any equipment donated by Canada must be battlefield sustainable, but more importantly, must meet a specific need identified by Ukraine, and be equipment that the Ukrainians are trained to use and have the resources and capabilities to maintain.
• The remaining quantity of M113 not being employed by the CAF are either awaiting final demilitarization and disposal due to being in very poor condition or are being retained as a source of spare parts for the operational fleet.

Between February 2022 and February 2024, Canada has committed $4 billion in military assistance to Ukraine.

Latest Announcements

• At the 23rd Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UCDG) meeting on June 13, 2024, the Minister of National Defence announced that Canada plans to send an initial tranche over 2000 CRV7 rocket motors to Ukraine.
  • The Minister of National Defence also announced that Canada will donate 29 Nanuk Remote Weapons Systems – manufactured by Rheinmetall Canada – from surplus CAF inventory, and more than 130,000 rounds of surplus small arms ammunition to Ukraine.
• On June 12, 2024, National Defence announced that the first four of 50 new Armoured Combat Support Vehicles (ACSVs) built by Canadian workers are heading to Europe, where members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) will be trained in their use this summer.
  • These vehicles are part of a fleet of state-of-the-art armoured vehicles built at General Dynamics Land Systems in London, Ontario, that Canada is donating to Ukraine.
  • As the Prime Minister announced during the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on September 22, 2023, During President Zelenskyy’s visit to Ottawa on September 22, 2023, Prime Minister Trudeau announced that Canada would invest $650M to supply Ukraine with armoured vehicles, including medical evacuation vehicles.
• On May 10, 2024, the Minister of National Defence announced that Canada will contribute $76 million to Germany’s Immediate Action on Air Defence (IAAD) initiative in support of Ukraine.
  • This initiative, launched by Germany in April 2024, pools money and resources from the international community to quickly source and deliver air defence systems for Ukraine.
• On February 24, 2024, the Prime Minister signed a Canada-Ukraine Security Cooperation agreement, which committed an additional $1.6 billion in military assistance.
• On June 10, 2023, the Prime Minister committed an additional $500 million in new funding for military assistance, which includes:
  • $105 million for 900 SkyRanger drones;
  • $76 million for 35 high resolution drone cameras and in-service support;
  • $30 million for the Leopard 2 Maintenance and Service Centre in Poland;
  • $15 million to support the Joint Coalition on F-16 Training for Ukrainian pilots;
  • Approximately $60 million for a large package of NATO-standard small arms and ammunition; and
  • $33 million for a United Kingdom-led partnership that is delivering high priority air defence equipment to Ukraine, including air defence missiles to help Ukraine defend against Russia’s missile and drone attacks, as announced earlier this week