Canada and Ukraine sign drone partnership deal in Calgary

Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a series of agreements in Calgary on September 10, 2026, to deepen a long-term defense and economic partnership, with a central focus on rapidly scaling Canada's drone production capacity using Ukrainian expertise. The leaders unveiled the Defence Drone Initiative Marketplace, a national digital platform backed by initial contracts worth up to $50 million. The initiative aims to connect Canadian Armed Forces units with domestic suppliers and build a manufacturing base capable of producing millions of drones within two years. Carney stated that Canada currently has about 2,000 drones and needs millions more to modernize its military. A key component of the deal is that one-third of the drones produced under the new joint program will be destined for Ukraine's defense. Zelenskyy emphasized the immediate need, stating the drones will go "to the battlefield, immediately to our people, our soldiers." The partnership includes a co-production agreement between General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada and Ukraine's Green Tech Harvest for critical drone technologies.