"Canada Remains Unwavering in Support of Ukraine"
In the heart of Kyiv, Ukraine, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney marked his first Independence Day visit, cementing a strong bond between Kyiv and Ottawa. Accompanied by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Carney delivered a firm message to the Kremlin, emphasizing Canada's unwavering support for Ukraine.
During his speech in the Mariinsky Palace, Carney made concrete announcements, pledging military support for Ukraine, including a new aid package worth over 700 million dollars. This package, expected to arrive next month, comprises drones, ammunition, and armored vehicles. Moreover, more than one billion dollars of the pledged two billion dollars in military aid will be used to strengthen Ukraine's arsenal with these priority deliveries imminently arriving.
Carney also detailed a $2 billion aid program promised at the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta. The aid program has already begun, and it will focus on various sectors, with tens of millions of dollars allocated for medical aid, emergency shelters, and cybersecurity. Additionally, over $200 million will be specifically allocated to cooperation in the drone field.
The aid program will not stop at military support. An additional $680 million will fund priority military equipment determined by NATO, expected as early as next month. This decision underscores Canada's commitment to Ukraine's security and its belief that the first guarantee of Ukraine's security lies in a robust Ukrainian army capable of containing the Russian threat.
Carney's visit to Ukraine is personal as well as political. Growing up in Canada's Prairies, he has a personal connection to Ukraine. This connection was evident as he walked with confidence near the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv.
In his address, Zelensky recalled the Budapest Memorandum of 1994, in which Ukraine renounced its nuclear arsenal in exchange for security guarantees. He highlighted that these guarantees have been betrayed by Moscow since the annexation of Crimea in 2014. Carney, in agreement, stated that Vladimir Putin is not like Mikhail Gorbachev, as he brings shadows instead of transparency and seeks empire instead of reform.
Canada, under Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, was the first Western state to recognize Ukraine as an independent and sovereign nation. Carney's visit to Ukraine on this Independence Day reaffirms this historical relationship and signals a continued commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and security.
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