Saturday December 27, 2025 | HALIFAX, NS [Reporting from VICTORIA, BC | Posted at 12:52 pm PT | Updated 1:30 pm PT]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
In Halifax today, Prime Minister Carney met with the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy just after 1 pm Atlantic time (9 am PT).
In a brief statement to media, Carney announced that Canada will contribute $2.5 billion more on top of the already $22 billion or so ($12 billion of which has been direct financial support) that Canada has provided in the way of multifaceted support for Ukraine’s effort to deal with the war of aggression by Russia.
“That additional capital will help unlock financing from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), from The World Bank, from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to begin this process of rebuilding,” said Carney today.
According to a news release from the Prime Minister’s Office today, the new $2.5 billion package to support Ukraine includes:
- Financing that will enable the International Monetary Fund to lend Ukraine an additional $8.4 billion as part of an extended financing program;
- Canada’s participation in extended and expanded debt service suspension for Ukraine, for up to $1.5 billion in 2025-26;
- A loan guarantee of up to $1.3 billion in 2026 to the World Bank’s International Bank for Reconstruction and Development to support Ukraine’s reconstruction; and
- A loan guarantee of up to $322 million in 2026 to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to support Ukraine’s gas imports and reinforce its energy security.
Defence and diplomacy:
Zelenskyy highlighted air defence and diplomacy as advancements of the past few weeks. He spoke in English without a translator.
Carney stated in the joint four-minute on-camera statement with Zelenskyy that the two leaders — after their bilateral meeting — would then be meeting with European leaders via a secure video link. He said this is “a crucial moment in this process” as Zelenskyy will head next to the United States to meet with US President Donald Trump tomorrow.
Europe, Canada, Australia and others — as the Coalition of the Willing — support Ukraine in its effort toward peace.
Russian’s attack overnght:
Noted by Zelenskyy in the media moment today is that overnight Russia made an attack on Ukraine’s capital city with over 500 drones and dozens of missiles, calling it Russian’s answer to peace efforts.
“Under President Zelenskyy’s leadership we have the conditions, the possibility, for a just and lasting peace. But that requires that requires a willing Russia.
“The barbarism that we saw overnight — the attack on Kyiv — shows just how important it is that we stand with Ukraine during this difficult time and that we create the conditions for this just and lasting peace in a true reconstruction,” said Carney to the cameras, adding that “there is the prospect of true prosperity for the Ukrainian people”.
“It would be an illusion to see success with an less air defence,” said Zelenskky today. “With Russia it doesn’t work,” he stated.
Meeting with Trump tomorrow:
Zelenskyy will meet in US Florida tomorrow with President Trump, to seek security guarantees from Allies including the US — the most important support being considerations around military, financial and intelligence as well as reconstruction.
According to national media coverage, the deal is 90% complete but that Trump has been non committal to all of these things so far.
Zelenskky said today that he hopes it will be “a very constructive meeting with President Trump”.
Recent peace talks in which Trump has been involved have included the idea of Ukraine giving up some land in the east.
Today’s virtual meeting with the Coalition of the Willing might be seen as a bit of a coaching session for Zelenskyy as to dealing with Trump in person. Carney seems to have built a cordial if not friendly and respectful relationship with Trump over the past year.
Peace may hinge on Donbas region:
Ukraine seems somewhat open to a demilitarized economic zone in the Donbas region.
While this may bring peace it also effectively brings Russia’s influence and actual proximity that much closer to the rest of Ukrainian territory — exactly the sort of encroachment that Russia has hoped for.
Ongoing peace talks:
In a readout issued on December 26, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said that Carney and Zelenskyy discussed the latest developments in ongoing peace talks.
“Prime Minister Carney commended President Zelenskyy for his continued efforts to secure a just and lasting peace for the people of Ukraine, and the courage of the Ukrainian people as they face another winter of Russian aggression,” it was stated by the PMO.
Canada’s support:
The federal budget has a commitment to national defence (increasing Canada’s defence spending to 2% of GDP by March 31, 2026) including a commitment to supporting the defensive efforts in Ukraine.
The Government of Canada maintains a webpage about Canada-Ukraine relations.
===== RELATED:
- Zelenskyy meets with Trump to discuss 20-point peace plan (December 28, 2025)
- Carney to meet with Zelenskyy in Halifax Dec 27 (December 27, 2025)
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