The Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence, concluded a productive visit to Brussels, Belgium, where he participated in the 28th Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) meeting and a meeting of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Defence Ministers. This visit marks Minister McGuinty's first trip to Europe since he was appointed Minister of National Defence.
During the UDCG meeting, the Minister announced that Canada is providing over $35 million in military assistance to Ukraine, including:
- $30 million for Coyote and Bison armoured vehicles, accompanied by new equipment and ammunition supplied by Canadian companies. This donation complements Canada's previous donation of 64 Coyote armoured vehicles that arrived in Ukraine in December 2024.
- $5 million for electronic warfare anti-jammer kits from Canada's defence industry.
This military assistance is from existing funds identified in Budget 2024 funding in support of the Canada-Ukraine Strategic Security Partnership
Minister McGuinty also shared with partners updates on advanced pilot training for Ukrainian pilots underway in Canada. Canada has taken over leadership of the fighter-lead-in-training (FLIT) element of the UDCG Air Force Capability Coalition (AFCC). This $389 million investment over five years includes F-16 pilot training for Ukrainian personnel, critical airfield equipment, and other support to Ukrainian air bases and fleets-all provided by Canadian industry.
On June 5, Minister McGuinty participated in a meeting of NATO Defence Ministers ahead of the NATO Leaders' Summit in the Netherlands. This meeting reaffirmed Allies' commitment to NATO and discussed common defence priorities, including strengthening the Alliance's deterrence and defence efforts and supporting Ukraine. During the meeting, the Minister reinforced Canada's commitment to accelerating defence spending and working with NATO Allies and international partners to meet shared security commitments.
While in Brussels, Minister McGuinty met with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte. He also held a number of productive bilateral engagements with Ministers from France, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Latvia, and Ukraine, as well as representatives from the European Union. Minister McGuinty participated in a 3+3 dialogue with Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, and Finland. The Minister discussed with his counterparts how Canada can deepen its defence relations and work more closely on the Alliance's deterrence and defence posture, and support Ukraine.
During the NATO meeting, Canada signed an agreement to join the NATO Flight Training Europe initiative (NFTE) which is a network of campuses that offer pilot and aircrew training. Participation will allow the RCAF to leverage allied training capacity, providing opportunity to augment RCAF aircrew training when needed. Participation will also offer the opportunity for the RCAF to provide any excess training to allies. Canada's participation will enhance allied training efforts increasing NATO's deterrence.
During this important moment for Euro-Atlantic security, Canada continues to work closely with NATO Allies and international partners. The coordination between Allies ensures the Alliance remains innovative, flexible, and adaptable in the face of current and future security threats.
