Canada considers buying Ukrainian drones – Canadian defence minister

Wednesday, 20 March 2024, 00:24

Canadian Defence Minister Bill Blair has suggested that Canada and other partners could purchase Ukrainian-made drones for their own defence needs.

Source: Blair during a press conference in Ottawa, quoted by Ukrinform

Details: Blair said he had discussed Ukraine's experience of using drones on the battlefield, as well as advances in drone production, with Minister of Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshin during his February visit to Kyiv.

Quote: "We discussed how we can work collaboratively together and even among the Coalition Partners, including Canada investing in the purchase of Ukrainian-made drones as well. I think it's also a real opportunity."

Details: "I don't think anybody knows better how to fight the Russians than the Ukrainians," Blair said.

"They've got two years of hardened battle experience in that, and the evolution of drones in warfare, I think, is something that we all need to learn from, and it needs to inform future defence acquisition policy," the minister said.

He added that Canada, together with Ukraine’s other partners in the Capability Coalition, will try to provide Ukraine with one million drones, some of which will be manufactured in Ukraine.

"And so [we’ll be] working very collaboratively with the Ukrainians, supporting the Ukrainians in their own manufacturing, but I think there are real benefits to all of the Coalition partners as well, including Canada," Blair concluded.

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