Canada to Donate NASAMS Air Defence Systems to Ukraine

Canada has agreed to hand over NASAMS air defence systems to Ukraine free of cost, taking the total number of such systems being pledged to the war-torn country to nine.

“I spoke with Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov this morning and heard it directly: air defence systems are Ukraine’s top priority. That’s why Canada is purchasing a National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) from the United States to donate to Ukraine,” Anita Anand, Canadian Minister of National Defence, confirmed in a tweet.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Joe Biden are being hosted by Mexico for a North American leaders' meeting. Biden was informed of the purchase during a separate meeting in the city.

The NASAMS short- to medium-range ground-based air defence system will help to protect Ukrainian population centres and critical infrastructure against drone, missile, and aircraft attacks, Anand said.

This donation has a value of about $302.6 million, and is in addition to the $372 million Canada promised to Ukraine in November.

“Dear Justin Trudeau, your true leadership in standing for democracy and human rights has been vividly proven again. Thank you for helping us to protect our sky. NASAMS procured for us by Canada will be a strong shield for our cities and citizens,” Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

Washington has authorized eight NASAMS to assist Kyiv in thwarting Russian missile and drone assaults. The first two NASAMS systems, a part of the third USAI package announced in July, were shipped to Ukraine and put into service there in November.