Canada Set to Contribute $76 Million to Germany’s Air Defence Initiative

Canada is set to contribute $76 million to Germany’s Immediate Action on Air Defence initiative to support Ukraine after defence ministers from both countries met earlier this month.

Immediate Action on Air Defence Initiative

The initiative, which Germany launched in April, will collect money and resources from countries around the world to source and deliver air defence systems for Ukraine. The aim is for Ukraine to protect itself from Russian aerial attacks.

“Canada and Germany are close NATO Allies, united through our close defence relationship and our commitment to supporting Ukraine. Through Canada’s investment in Germany’s Immediate Action on Air Defence Initiative, we are working together to provide Ukraine with the crucial air defence systems that it needs to protect its people.

“I thank Minister Pistorius for his strong cooperation, and I thank the German people for their hospitality to Canadian Armed Forces members deployed to the country,” said Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence.

Productive bilateral meetings

Germany’s Defence Minister of Defence, Boris Pistorius, visited Ottawa in May and met with Canada’s defence minister.

According to the Department of National Defence, during the meeting, the two ministers discussed Canada-Germany relations, the two countries’ mutual efforts to support Ukraine, and Germany and Canada’s contributions to NATO’s defensive postures, including the Baltic states where they both lead multinational NATO battle groups.

Germany and Canada have a long-standing defence relationship, according to the Department of National Defence. The IAAD initiative is not the only recent effort the two countries have worked on together.

The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is currently deployed to Germany as part of the Security Assistance Group – Ukraine, which is working to transfer aid to Ukraine and support it in its ongoing war effort.

The meeting comes just weeks before Canada and Germany participated in the NATO Summit in Washington, D.C.

Canada’s unwavering support of Ukraine

Canada’s recent announcement of pledging $76 million to the IAAD initiative is only one of Canada’s many pledges to support Ukraine.

Since Feb. 2022, Canada has committed over $14 billion to support Ukraine, DND notes. These contributions come in the form of donating weapons:

• including Leopard 2 main battle tanks,
• armoured combat support vehicles,
• anti-tank weapons, M777 howitzers,
• artillery ammunition,
• drones, and more.

Canada has also supported Ukraine through pilot training.

Since March 2022, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) has helped transport military aid to Ukraine. According to DND, the RCAF has transposed more than 16 million pounds of military aid to date.

Canada is also set to increase its military presence in Latvia. This summer, 1,500 CAF members are expected to be deployed there, with the ultimate goal of deploying 2,200 members by 2026.