Canada pledges support for Ukraine air defense as Zelensky visits

Canada offered support Thursday to boost Ukraine's air defenses and help replenish its drone stocks, as the countries pledged to deepen their alliance during a visit by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Prime Minister Mark Carney hosted Zelensky in Calgary in the western province of Alberta, where the Canadian leader grew up among a large community of people with Ukrainian heritage.

"Canada will always be with you," Carney assured Zelensky.

The leaders signed an agreement to work toward a "hundred-year partnership."

That deal, to be negotiated over the coming months, aims to codify cooperation in a range of areas, including defense, critical minerals and energy.

"Our two nations have been connected since 1893," Carney said, referring to a wave of Ukrainians who migrated to the new Canadian nation.

In Alberta, there are an estimated 350,000 Canadians of Ukrainian descent.

"Ukrainians helped build Canada and Canadians will help rebuild Ukraine," Carney said.

The support announced Thursday includes CAN$350 million (US$260 million) provided through the United States' Joint Ukraine Multinational Program -- Services, Training and Articles Rapid Timeline (JUMPSTART) program.

Zelensky has emphasized the need for increased air defense as Russia ramps up ballistic missile attacks.

Carney said Canada was also offering CAN$450 million in loan guarantees to enhance the Ukrainian energy supply.

The funds will help repair damaged infrastructure, increase storage capacity and improve power supply to hospitals.

Carney said the goal of the energy support is "to help Ukrainians get through the winter," a difficult period when the country endures rolling blackouts amid often frigid temperatures.

Canada is moving aggressively to increase its own drone stocks, Carney said, announcing a deal that will see 30 percent of new Canadian production head to Ukraine.

Zelensky told reporters that "these drones will go to Ukraine immediately to (the) battlefield, immediately to our people, our soldiers... to save our children, our families first of all."

Asked about potential negotiations to ease the fighting, Zelensky said he did not anticipate any substantive talks during Russia's ongoing election period.

But he said he plans to meet US President Donald Trump in New York in late September, likely on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, with Washington bidding to revive long-stalled talks to end the war.

"But at the end of September, we will have an opportunity to meet, I think, with the American team in New York," Zelensky said.

"And I think that... I can be more open after the New York meeting with President Trump."

After the Calgary meeting, Zelensky was headed to Banff, a stunning Canadian national park, where he will address a cabinet retreat for Carney's Liberal government.

He then heads to Canada's largest city, Toronto, and North Bay in northern Ontario.