OTTAWA — Canada is sending another $51-million aid package to Ukraine.
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The money, announced Friday by Secretary of State for International Development Randeep Sarai, will go towards humanitarian relief, preparing Ukraine for post-war elections, and support for veterans of the war against the now four-year old Russian invasion.
Friday’s money is part of the nearly $26 billion sent to Ukraine by Canada since the war began in February 2022, funding that encompasses direct aid, purchases or transfer of military equipment, humanitarian aid, and financial loans.
Bulk of funding going to humanitarian aid
According to a backgrounder published by Global Affairs Canada, $32.1 million will go to a variety of “trusted partners” in the region to provide humanitarian relief, including the Adventist Development and Relief Agency Canada, the International Committee of the Red Cross, HelpAge Canada, the International Medical Corps, the United Nations Refugee Agency and the World Food Programme.
This support, the background said, will go towards “urgent humanitarian needs,” including shelter, water, sanitation, food, and emergency health care for impacted civilians.
As well, $5 million will go towards UN Women to support “inclusive recovery and EU accession of Ukraine,” as well as $2 million to the United Nations Development Programme, bringing Canada’s contributions for that program to $19.5 million.
Aid for post-war elections, war veterans
Of the money announced Friday, $6 million will help Ukraine conduct fair and free elections once hostilities are concluded.
Those millions will go towards International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, which Global Affairs Canada says will facilitate “the conduct of credible, inclusive and well-prepared post-war elections,” as well as facilitate administration of elections by Ukrainian government agencies and help combat misinformation and civil oversight.
While Ukraine normally holds regular presidential and parliamentary elections, the Russian invasion has put that on hold.
The last elections carried out in Ukraine took place in 2019, a little under three years before Russia invaded.
Current President Volodymyr Zelensky was elected in April 2019, with Parliamentary elections taking place three months later.
As well, the Ukrainian constitution prohibits elections while the country is under martial law — which Ukraine has been under since the invasion began.
In addition, $5 million of the money from Canada will be set aside to support Ukrainian veterans of the Russian invasion, meant to bolster the capacity of Ukraine’s Ministry of Veterans to provide support to veterans and their families.
This latest round of funding comes one month after Canada formalized a $35-million contribution to NATO’s Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine, as part of the 2025 federal budget.
In February, Canada pledged another $2 billion in military aid for Ukraine , as well as applying additional sanctions against the Russian government.