Canada has expanded sanctions against Russia and announced new military aid to Ukraine
On 24 February, the Canadian government announced the expansion of its sanctions list. It includes 21 individuals, 53 organisations and 100 vessels of the Russian shadow fleet.
Canada is also lowering the price cap on Russian oil from $47.60 to $44.10 per barrel. The statement notes that these measures are intended to increase the economic costs of Russia's war against Ukraine. The sanctions are aimed at limiting revenues from energy exports, affecting the financial sector, including cryptocurrency infrastructure, as well as the conventional and hybrid military capabilities of the Russian Federation, in particular the artificial intelligence ecosystem and the production of unmanned aerial vehicles.
Canadian Defence Minister David McGinty said that new military aid worth 300 million Canadian dollars, equivalent to 220 million US dollars, will be provided as part of a package totalling 2 billion Canadian dollars for the 2026-2027 financial years. Most of these funds are already included in the budget approved in November 2025.
Among other things, Canada will transfer more than 400 armoured vehicles to Ukraine and resume a long-term programme to train Ukrainian military personnel. Foreign Minister Anita Anand announced an additional $20 million in funding for the Ukraine Energy Support Fund.
The Canadian government's statement emphasises that its support for Ukraine remains unwavering. Since the start of the full-scale war in February 2022, Canada has provided Ukraine with more than 25.5 billion Canadian dollars in aid, of which 8.5 billion is military support. Ahead of the fourth anniversary of the invasion, the United Kingdom and Australia also adopted major sanctions packages against Russia.