OTTAWA — Canada is increasing its financial support for Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict with Russia. On Wednesday, National Defence Minister David McGuinty and Foreign Minister Anita Anand announced an additional $200 million in aid. This funding aims to bolster Ukraine's defense capabilities as the war enters its fourth year.

The new aid package will include critical military hardware sourced from the United States, purchased through NATO’s Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL). McGuinty emphasized the importance of this contribution, stating, "By contributing to this PURL package in partnership with our Allies, we are ensuring Ukraine receives the advanced capabilities it urgently needs to defend its sovereignty and protect its people."

This latest commitment brings Canada’s total aid to Ukraine to over $22 billion since February 2022. Previous military assistance has included Canadian Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks, armored vehicles, drones, surface-to-air missile systems, and various types of ammunition and medical supplies.

This marks the second instance of Canada purchasing military hardware for Ukraine through the PURL program. In August, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a $680 million package for U.S.-sourced military equipment. The PURL initiative was established last summer at the request of the United States, which encouraged NATO allies to contribute to Ukraine's defense efforts.

The announcement coincides with Anand's participation in a meeting with other NATO foreign ministers in Belgium, where discussions about the ongoing conflict are taking place. Anand reiterated Canada’s commitment, stating, "Canada’s contribution reflects our unwavering commitment to Ukraine and to the security of the Euro-Atlantic region. Through this second contribution to the NATO PURL initiative, we join Allies in delivering critical capabilities that Ukraine needs now."