Canada announces largest rearmament in 70 years alongside Ukraine partnership declaration
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Canada's largest rearmament in seven decades at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Calgary. The announcement came alongside a Declaration on a Century-Long Partnership and a roughly CAD 350 million commitment to Ukrainian air defence interceptors.
Key points
- Carney announced Canada's largest rearmament in 70 years at a joint press conference with Zelensky in Calgary
- On 10 September 2026, Carney and Zelensky signed a Declaration on a Century-Long Partnership
- Canada committed approximately CAD 350 million to purchase critical interceptors for Ukrainian air defence through the US JUMPSTART mechanism
- The full One-Hundred-Year Partnership Agreement is planned to be concluded by December 2026
- Canada is rebuilding parts of its defence system using the Ukrainian Brave1 model and creating a long-term intergovernmental partnership with Ukraine for drone production
- In 2026 the Carney government stated Canada had reached the NATO benchmark of 2% of GDP for defence spending
- Canadian defence spending had fallen to approximately 1% of GDP before 2014
Why it matters
Canada is undertaking its largest rearmament in seven decades, a major shift in its security posture that formally reaches the NATO 2% of GDP benchmark. The Century-Long Partnership Declaration sets a long-term strategic framework between Canada and Ukraine, while Canada's adoption of elements of the Ukrainian defence model, including the Brave1 framework, signals a deeper operational alignment shaped by Ukraine's wartime experience. The CAD 350 million interceptor commitment gives Ukraine additional near-term air defence support at a time of continued Russian attacks.
What happened
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Canada's largest rearmament in 70 years at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Calgary. On 10 September 2026, the two leaders signed a Declaration on a Century-Long Partnership defining the framework for future strategic cooperation, with the full One-Hundred-Year Partnership Agreement planned to be concluded by December 2026, the 35th anniversary of Canada's recognition of Ukraine's independence. Canada also committed roughly CAD 350 million to finance critical interceptors for Ukrainian air defence through the American JUMPSTART mechanism. Carney's government separately stated that Canada had reached the NATO benchmark of 2% of GDP for defence spending, a level the country had fallen below before 2014. Canada is also rebuilding parts of its own defence system using the Ukrainian Brave1 model and creating a long-term intergovernmental partnership with Ukraine for drone production. During his visit, Zelensky was asked by CBC's The National host Adrienne Arsenault about Donald Trump's repeated statements regarding Canada and called the situation strange.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
The Ukrainian-language coverage frames Canada's rearmament as a response shaped significantly by Ukraine's wartime experience, emphasizing what Canada can learn from Ukraine and the joint Canada-Ukraine defence cooperation. It highlights Zelensky's joint appearance with Carney in Calgary and his response to questions about Trump's statements on Canada, presenting the partnership as a substantive strategic alignment rooted in shared security concerns.
Where reporting differs
The two supplied articles give different years for Donald Trump's return to the White House: one states 2024, the other 2025.
Background
Canadian defence spending had fallen to roughly 1% of GDP before 2014 before rising toward the NATO benchmark. Russia occupied Crimea and parts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts in 2014 and launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. Donald Trump's return to the White House, his territorial claims over Canada and Greenland, and his public criticism of Canadian leadership are cited as part of the context for Canada's rearmament decision. Ukrainian battlefield experience with drones and modern warfare is being discussed in Canadian media as a model to learn from.