Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed multiple declarations and cooperation plans on Thursday, including a century-long partnership agreement and a drone collaboration project. According to a press release, this 100-year partnership—whose framework is still being developed—aims to "elevate bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership and confirm the alignment of their positions."

The two leaders also signed a joint statement on defense and security cooperation, along with a commitment to collaborate in the critical minerals sector. Zelensky told reporters, "I am pleased we signed these very important documents. These are not just documents or pieces of paper; they represent tangible outcomes—what we can achieve through our cooperation."

Meanwhile, Carney reiterated Canada's commitment to providing additional military assistance to meet Ukraine's needs for air defense systems and equipment, supporting the Freya project. This initiative, led by Ukraine across Europe, aims to develop a low-cost, high-volume interceptor missile to counter Russian ballistic missile attacks.

Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022, Canada has supplied $8.5 billion in military aid to Ukraine and allocated $750 million to support the nation's recovery and reconstruction efforts. Additionally, Canada has imposed over 3,500 sanctions on Russia.

Earlier on Thursday, Carney also announced that Canada would launch a nationwide drone marketplace for the Canadian Armed Forces, enabling the country to produce millions of drones within the next two years. He noted that leading Ukrainian drone companies will collaborate with Canadian firms to develop these drones, while Ukraine will also benefit from Canada's manufacturing expertise and artificial intelligence capabilities.