On December 27, 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during a brief stop in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Following the talks, Carney announced an additional CA$2.5 billion economic support package for Ukraine.
What is included in the CA$2.5 billion package
A press release from the Canadian Prime Minister's Office states that the new commitments include several financial instruments to help Ukraine with macro-financial stability and recovery:
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Financing that will allow the IMF to provide Ukraine with an additional $8.4 billion under the Extended Fund Facility;
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Canada's participation in the continuation/extension of Ukraine's debt service suspension mechanism — up to $1.5 billion in 2025–26;
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A loan guarantee of up to $1.3 billion in 2026 for the World Bank (IBRD) to support Ukraine's reconstruction;
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A loan guarantee of up to $322 million in 2026 for the EBRD to support gas imports and strengthen energy security.
In the same statement, Canada recalled that since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia has provided Ukraine with nearly $22 billion in “multi-component” assistance, of which more than $12 billion is direct financial support.
Context: preparations for negotiations in the US and the security situation
The meeting in Halifax took place on Zelenskyy's way to Florida, where a meeting with US President Donald Trump was scheduled for December 28.
The Ukrainian side also mentioned the large-scale Russian drone and missile strikes the day before, emphasizing the need for continued support and pressure on Russia.
Joint online call with European leaders
After bilateral talks, Zelensky and Carney held a joint online conversation with European partners to coordinate positions on the peace process and security guarantees.
According to the official website of the President of Ukraine, the call was joined by, among others: Emmanuel Macron, Alexander Stubb, Friedrich Merz, Giorgia Meloni, Mette Frederiksen, Donald Tusk, Dick Schoof, Jonas Gahr Støre, Ulf Kristersson, António Costa, Ursula von der Leyen, Mark Rutte, and Jonathan Powell, National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.