Canada buying gasoline, sniper rifles and radios for Ukraine

Canada is buying gasoline and sniper rifles for Ukraine — part of the latest military assistance package announced Friday by Defence Minister Anita Anand at a meeting of allies in Europe.

Anand announced that Canada is purchasing up to 3.3 million litres of fuel through a NATO program. The announcement was made at the monthly gathering of countries helping to supply arms and equipment to the embattled Eastern European country, being held at a U.S. airbase in Ramstein, Germany.

The deal for fuel amounts to $34.6 million.

The Liberal government also will be buying 40 .50 caliber sniper rifles and ammunition from Prairie Gun Works in Winnipeg, and $2 million worth of radio sets — 16 in total — to be used in Leopard 2 tanks, eight of which were donated by the Canadian Army last winter.

The other part of the aid package announced Friday involves providing Ukraine with modular floatation bridges which allow combat engineers to cross rivers or replace destroyed bridges.

Friday's meeting was the first gathering of allies since a major leak of U.S. intelligence. One leaked intelligence document — reported on earlier this week by the Washington Post — said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has told NATO leaders privately that Canada will never meet the military alliance's benchmark of spending two per cent of GDP on defence.

"I'm not going to comment on the alleged leaked document," Anand told reporters at the meeting in Germany. "But I will say that Canada continues to make foundational investments in defence and its military." 

Defence spending in Canada is "on an upwards trajectory," Anand said, pointing to the government's longstanding plan to boost defence appropriations by 70 per cent between 2017-2027 and more recent plans to modernize NORAD.

The leaked intelligence assessment, which the Post said bore the stamp of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, also said that allies have become skeptical of Canada's capacity to meet its military commitments — particularly its promise to boost the NATO battle group in Latvia to a brigade.

In Washington on Thursday, a senior defence official speaking on background said the leaked classified documents aren't likely to hamper ongoing efforts to support Ukraine.

"What we have heard from allies and partners is that ... they're determined — and we welcome this — not to allow any kind of negative information or spinning of negative information to undermine our unity and our focus and strength of purpose," the official said.

Anand also downplayed any friction among NATO allies, saying she's in close touch with U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin. She said Canada and the U.S. remain "very dear friends" and the sharing of intelligence will continue regardless of the leaks.

"Our teams are in very close touch. We continue to share data and information, not only with the United States but with our Five Eyes allies, and the Five Eyes relationship has never been this strong," she said, referring to the intelligence sharing arrangement involving the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.

A House of Commons committee heard criticism of both Canada and NATO on Friday.

"NATO needs to put in place a longer-term strategic plan to provide weaponry and other support to Ukraine," said Kerry Buck, a career diplomat and Canada's former ambassador to NATO.

"For the past year, the support to Ukraine, the rhythm of support to Ukraine, has been marked by [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy asking for something specific, and then allies moving sometimes quickly, sometimes more slowly to find what is needed, provide the training and get it into theater. But this is different from a strategic plan that ensures a steady flow of predictable support."

Members of the Ukrainian-Canadian Congress also told the defence committee Friday that they were disappointed by the lack of any reference in the recent federal budget to further military aid beyond what has already been committed.

"We are concerned that the budget didn't send the signal of strong support for Ukraine in the year ahead," said Ihor Michalchyshyn, executive director of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress.

Conservative defence critic James Bezan said Canada has been slow in delivering aid. He pointed to the sniper rifles announced Friday as an example.

"I can tell you that sniper rifle procurement was asked for last year by the Ukrainian government," Bezan said. "The procurement was completed by the company — like, completely built and purpose-ready — by the end of last summer. And here we are, almost a year later, before it was finally announced."

The Ramstein meeting came one day after NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg made a surprise visit to Kyiv, his first since Russia's full invasion in February 2022. 

He told reporters that Ukraine's "rightful place" is in NATO.

"Over time, our support will help to make this possible," Stoltenberg added.

Following the meeting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy renewed his push for long-range weapons, including modern combat aircraft such as the F-16.

"I think it is important to discuss the weapons that Ukraine has been waiting for so long," Zelenskyy said. "In particular, this is training between missions of our pilots, appropriate long-range weapons, very specific [weapons], with very specific partners, with a very specific number."

NATO members Poland and Slovakia have transferred MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine as Kyiv prepares a counter-offensive to retake territory occupied by Russia. The U.S., however, has been reluctant to sign off on the transfer of more sophisticated F-16s from its inventory.