Canada sending anti-tank weapons systems, ammunition to Ukraine, says Trudeau

Canada will send a third shipment of lethal weapons to Ukraine as its military continues to fight off better-armed Russian forces, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday.

"Yesterday, we announced that we would be sending new shipments of military supplies, including body armour, helmets, gas masks and night vision goggles," Trudeau said. "Today we are announcing that we will be supplying Ukraine with anti-tank weapons systems and upgraded ammunition." 

Trudeau said the Canadian Armed Forces will provided airlift support to transport supplies and aid and to participate in other NATO efforts in support of Ukraine.

Ukraine government officials and members of its parliament have been calling on Canada and its allies to deliver more weapons — including guns and anti-aircraft missiles — to keep Russian forces from gaining control of key cities.

After denouncing Russia at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said she will travel to Warsaw, Poland on Tuesday to "make sure ultimately the delivery is well done."

"My role in this is to make sure this aid gets in the arms of Ukrainian soldiers that are fighting for their life and fighting for their motherland," said Joly. "That's exactly why I've been able to get an agreement from Poland to make sure that delivery could be done through their borders."

She praised the European Union Sunday for agreeing to ship arms and other aid to Ukraine's military. Germany also reversed its longtime stand on lethal military aid by announcing weapons shipments to Ukraine.

"So we're seeing a strong movement and I'm glad Canada was part of the first countries to send lethal aid because it's important that people are able to defend their lives, their families, their way of living and their motherland," said Joly.

Two weeks ago, Prime Minister Trudeau agreed to send Ukraine $7.8 million worth of lethal equipment, including handguns, machine guns, carbines and ammunition. Up until that point, Canada had been sending shipments of non-lethal supplies, such as mine detectors, medical kits and vests.

Defence Minister Anand tweeted photos of the second delivery on Feb. 22. The images show an Royal Canadian Air Force plane on the tarmac in the dark, its cargo bay lined with black boxes wrapped in plastic. A Ukrainian flag is seen draped on one of the cases.

"This aid was requested by Ukraine, coordinated with NATO allies & is in addition to the $10m of lethal & non-lethal aid that we provided this month," Anand tweeted last week.

On Sunday, Joly announced another $25 million in non-lethal aid for Ukraine, including body armour, helmets, gas masks and night vision gear. The government said it plans to work with Poland to deliver the gear through NATO. 

But Ukrainian MP Lesia Vasylenko — who, like many Ukrainians, has said she has armed herself to defend her country — told Canadian media on Friday that Ukraine is fighting the biggest army in Europe and can't survive without more weapons from Canada and its allies. 

"Even if we worked and worked for decades, our army would not match that of Russia's in magnitude," said Vasylenko. "So we need assistance to wake up Monday morning in an independent and free Ukraine."