WNAM REPORT: Canada will provide another CA$500 million in military assistance to Ukraine as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is set have a one-on-one discussion with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the NATO summit in Washington, D.C. report informs via National Post.
A senior government official speaking on background said Canada will also begin to provide much of Ukraine’s fighter jet pilot training.
Trudeau has been forceful in conversations with NATO allies about the need to stay resolute in their support as the war-ravaged country takes top billing at the three-day summit. But he has also been facing pressure from American politicians who are publicly critical of Canada for falling short of its defence spending commitments.
NATO allies have agreed to spend at least the equivalent of two per cent of their national gross domestic product on defence. Canada’s current spend is around 1.37 per cent.
Trudeau tried to get ahead of the criticism during a speech Tuesday in which he said the Liberal government has been following through on promises to drastically increase defence spending since it came into power.
Since 2014, Canada’s defence budget has grown by more than 57 per cent, and it is estimated at $29.9 billion for this year.
The only NATO countries that spend more in terms of real dollars are the US, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Türkiye.
But 23 of the 32 allies are expected to meet the two per cent target this year, and Canada is the only one that hasn’t presented a plan to get to that minimum.
