Canada should be more active in handing Ukraine arms from stocks - MP

The opinion was expressed to an Ukrinform correspondent by James Bezan, co-chair of the Standing Committee of the Canadian House of Commons on National Defense.

“What our position has been is buy New for Canada and donate our existing equipment to Ukraine, so Ukraine doesn't have to wait for the equipment like what's going on right now,” Bezan said.

He noted that currently Ukraine has to wait “months, and sometimes years” for new military equipment pledged by Canada. “We need to do more now. by donating our existing equipment that we have. Sure it's got some use on it, but Ukrainian military can take it, use it and fight today. While we, as Canadian armed Forces wait to replenish our own stock,” the MP noted.

Bezan also stressed the importance of building up Canada's own military-industrial complex. "We need to replace what we donated, including howitzers, including tanks, including LAVs, build up our own capabilities here in Canada," he concluded.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, late November, Canada handed to Ukraine another NASAMS air defense system, worth over $300 million. The intention to donate the system had been announced back in January 2023. The original agreements provided that Canada would reimburse the United States for the full cost of the new NASAMS system, in return for which the U.S. would enter into a direct contract with Ukraine to supply this capability. This was supposed to allow Canada to bypass the requirement to obtain U.S. permission to re-export NASAMS to Ukraine. However, the project encountered a number of bureaucratic and production obstacles that slowed down its implementation.