Ministry of Defence of Ukraine strengthens defence-industrial partnership with Canada
The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine is strengthening international cooperation to develop Ukraine’s defence industry and expand opportunities for Ukrainian manufacturers.
During a visit by a Ukrainian delegation to Canada with the participation of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine Anna Gvozdiar represented the Ministry at the National Defence Canada: B2B Event in Calgary.
The event brought together senior officials from Canada’s Department of National Defence and representatives of the Ukrainian and Canadian defence industries.
The meeting took place amid growing Canadian support for Ukraine and a willingness to expand practical cooperation. In particular, Canada announced a new support package: $350 million for air defence interceptor missiles under the JUMPSTART initiative and $23 million to bolster the capabilities of Ukraine’s security architecture, among other measures.
The total amount of Canadian assistance to Ukraine since 2022 has exceeded $26 billion.
Practical cooperation between manufacturers
The meeting in Calgary focused on concrete opportunities for cooperation between Ukrainian and Canadian defence companies. The discussions covered establishing direct contacts between manufacturers, identifying partners, launching joint projects and developing technological cooperation.
The meeting was also attended by Christiane Fox, Deputy Minister of National Defence of Canada, Lieutenant-General Darcy Molstad, Commander Canadian Joint Forces Command, and Ravi S. K. Singh, Director General of Defence Industrial Strategy at the Department of National Defence of Canada.
The purpose of the B2B event is very practical: to help Ukrainian and Canadian companies connect, better understand each other’s capabilities and start building together. Not just discussions, but projects. Not just interest, but partnerships. Not just support for Ukraine, but combining capabilities for the future security of both countries.
She also thanked the Canadian partners for their support for Ukraine and their readiness to deepen cooperation between the two countries’ defence industries.
Joint production and technological cooperation
The event placed particular emphasis on opportunities for joint production, technology partnerships and the integration of Ukrainian solutions into allies’ supply chains.
Ukraine’s defence industry now comprises more than 900 companies. One of its key advantages is the rapid cycle of technology development and improvement – from the military identifying a need to the development, testing and deployment of an improved solution on the battlefield.
The next task is to scale up production, build resilient supply chains, and secure access to components, certification, investment and international production cooperation.
Canadian industry has strong expertise in aerospace, robotics, sensors, communications, secure systems, advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, critical minerals and supply chain development. Ukraine can add to these capabilities through combat experience, rapid innovation and technologies proven in real-world wartime conditions.
We want to see more joint production, more technology partnerships and more Canadian companies working with Ukrainian companies. More battle-tested Ukrainian solutions in allies’ supply chains. And more projects that help Ukraine fight today while strengthening our partners for the future.
Developing international industrial cooperation, scaling up Ukrainian defence production and creating new opportunities for Ukrainian manufacturers remain among the priorities of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine.
As previously reported, the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine announced the launch of production of Ukrainian unmanned systems in Canada.
