Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair stated that Canada would consider sending military trainers to Ukraine if “certain conditions” were met, although these conditions “do not yet exist.” He emphasized that any Canadian military personnel sent would serve in “non-combat roles.”
These remarks were made during a press conference at the Canadian Forces Base in Edmonton, where Blair announced a $43 million upgrade to the base. He noted that the situation in Ukraine would need to “change” before Canadian forces could return to the country, where they had been training Ukrainian soldiers on the ground before the war with Russia. Blair highlighted that Canada had trained over 40,000 Ukrainian soldiers as part of Operation UNIFIER, which began in 2015 following Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
Canada has significantly bolstered its support for Ukraine amidst ongoing tensions in the region. Recently, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced new measures at a NATO Summit, including $541 million in funding and projects aimed at supporting Ukraine and enhancing transatlantic security. This commitment builds upon Canada’s already substantial assistance, which has surpassed $8 billion since 2022. The support includes military equipment, training, and additional drone cameras directly requested by Ukraine. Notably, Canada plans to provide training to the Ukrainian military under Operation UNIFIER within Canada, with the Royal Military College Saint-Jean hosting Officer cadets from Ukraine for an intensive three-week program developed with NATO. Additionally, Canada pledged $48.8 million to NATO’s Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine, further reinforcing its role as a key contributor to the initiative.
Moreover, Canada has committed to aiding Ukraine with another $500 million, including the provision of more weapons, as announced by Trudeau during an unannounced visit to Kyiv. This visit underscored Canada’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s military efforts against Russia’s invasion and included a pledge for further weapons and fighter-pilot training. Trudeau also expressed support for Ukraine’s NATO membership bid, emphasizing the desire for peace on Ukrainian terms and calling for Russia’s complete and unconditional withdrawal from Ukraine.
