Canada pledged more than $2 billion in new support for Ukraine, including over $1 billion for defense needs, including Patriots, F-16 ammunition and joint drone production, while the two countries also signed the first document finalizing a Drone Deal.President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the package on Thursday, Sept. 10, following a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The agreements cover Ukraine’s energy sector and a series of joint initiatives as well.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.“Ukraine and Canada will always be friends, and will always strengthen one another,” Zelensky said, adding that “this [Drone Deal agreement] will give us greater capacity to finance Ukraine’s defense, and give Canada new technological capabilities, tested by modern warfare.”Air defense and pilot training take priorityThe defense package was intended to reinforce Ukraine’s ability to intercept Russian threats – particularly ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones, including Shaheds – that can be successfully deterred only by US-made Patriot interceptors.Russia continues to change its air attack tactics, with recent strikes relying more on jet-powered weapons that can fly at speeds of 400-600 kilometers per hour (roughly 249-373 miles per hour), making them significantly harder to intercept.According to Zelensky, pilot training is already underway in Canada, with 21 Ukrainians currently enrolled.“And this will be a substantial reinforcement, together with other countries that are, at various stages, training our people on combat aircraft,” Zelensky said.