Trudeau signs $3-billion security deal for Ukraine on 2nd anniversary of Russian invasion

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signed a deal in Kyiv on Saturday committing Canada to a $3.02-billion security assistance package for Ukraine, a milestone event to mark the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion.

He was joined by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo.

Trudeau's visit — his third to the country since the eruption of major hostilities — comes as Western support for the government of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wavers. Billions of dollars in military and economic aid is being held up in the U.S. Congress.

The security assistance deal, first promised by allies last summer as a bridge toward Ukraine's membership in NATO, is a mixture of economic and military aid. It's meant to be stable, predictable support that Ukrainian government and Armed Forces can count on as they continue to resist Moscow's drive to absorb the country. Other allies, led by G7 nations, have signed similar agreements.

«This is a moment for us to both thank Ukraine and demonstrate our solidarity,» Trudeau told Canadian reporters following a virtual meeting of G7 leaders.

«As they stand and fight for their territorial integrity, their sovereignty, their language, their culture, their very identity and their right to choose their own future, they're also standing and fighting for the international rules based order and the principles that underpin all of our democracies.»

The $3.02-billion funding commitment from Canada is for the current year. How much will be committed over the 10-year lifetime of the agreement is unclear.

What Trudeau signed on Saturday is not a binding treaty, but rather an agreement that sets out a series