On September 10, Canadian Prime Minister Carney stood on a podium in Calgary, facing the world and declared: "I must admit, our entire military currently has only 2,000 drones. But in the future, we need millions." Then he announced: Canada will learn from Ukraine. Wait — is it really that war-torn Ukraine, battered by Russia for over four years, now teaching a G7 nation how to build drones?
Yes, exactly. That’s how absurd — and yet so real.
By 2026, Ukraine’s annual drone production had already surpassed 10 million units. Not only did this exceed Russia’s output, but it also surpassed the United States — whose annual military drone production is only around 100,000 units.
In other words, this country still at war has become the world’s largest producer of military drones.
How was this achieved? War. Pressure. No room to retreat when facing death.
When the full-scale Russia-Ukraine war erupted in 2022, Ukraine had almost no domestic drone industry. Four years later, it not only achieved full domestic production of engines, flight control systems, and optical components, but also began exporting its technology worldwide.
Just one week before the Calgary summit, the U.S. and Ukraine had just signed a $50 billion drone cooperation agreement. Canada’s presence here was clearly following suit.
Meanwhile, as Zelenskyy flew toward Calgary, Moldova temporarily closed its airspace due to Russian drone incursions, forcing his aircraft to detour and delay. Upon arrival, Russia launched 149 drones into Ukrainian territory that very night.
This is the backdrop of diplomacy — flames burning just outside the window, not metaphorically.
On September 10 in Calgary, the two countries signed more than one agreement.
The most eye-catching was a “Centennial Partnership Declaration.”
Sounding like diplomatic boilerplate, the substance was anything but light: both sides announced upgrading their relationship to a “comprehensive strategic partnership,” signing joint statements across defense and security, critical minerals, liquefied natural gas, nuclear energy, and green energy.
The “centennial partnership” framework was previously signed by the UK with Ukraine last year. Canada’s move now adds another major Western power’s endorsement to this structure.
But what truly caught global attention were the details of the drone agreement.
Carney announced that Canada would launch its “National Drone Market Initiative,” establishing procurement systems for its armed forces and coast guard.
The goal: to achieve the capability to produce “millions” of drones within two years.
Moreover, one-third of these drones produced will be sent directly to the frontlines in Ukraine.
Carney made it clear: “Ukraine’s creativity and courage have enabled them to build globally leading drone enterprises. Now, these companies will teach Canadian firms. And Canada’s manufacturing scale and artificial intelligence capabilities will in turn support Ukraine.”
After the talks, both leaders watched live drone demonstrations presented by Ukrainian defense tech companies Airlogix and SkyFall.
This scene was oddly surreal: a head of state bringing his nation’s wartime weapon systems to conduct a business pitch.
Canada also announced support for the “Freya Project” — a Ukraine-led pan-European initiative aiming to develop low-cost, mass-produced interceptors specifically designed to counter Russian ballistic missile attacks. Since 2022, Canada’s cumulative military aid to Ukraine has reached CAD 8.5 billion.
The new contracts will increase the Canadian military’s drone fleet tenfold.
What truly makes this moment significant isn’t just the drones themselves.
It reveals a quietly unfolding structural shift: Ukraine is transforming from a war victim receiving aid into a global exporter of defense technology.
The U.S., the UK, Canada — an increasing number of Western nations are realizing that in the field of drones, their defense industries have fallen behind a country actively engaged in war.
The U.S. produces about 100,000 military drones annually; Ukraine produced 10 million this year, and next year may double to 20 million. This staggering gap wasn’t built with money alone — it was forged through four years of intense combat experience.
Beneath the surface lies a deeper truth: today’s Western allies don’t just need to send resources to Ukraine — they must now learn from Ukraine how to win 21st-century warfare. For the first time, the teacher has changed roles.
Another noteworthy point is the choice of Calgary itself — a signal in itself. Alberta province hosts the largest Ukrainian diaspora community in Canada. After the meeting, Carney said: “Ukrainians helped build this province, this country. Canada will help rebuild Ukraine — when peace finally comes.”
This message was meant for both peoples — and also for Moscow.
Four years ago, Ukrainians used drones to save their nation. Four years later, they’re using this technology to redefine alliance relationships. The war isn’t over. But one thing might already be certain — the country once thought incapable of defending itself is now becoming a model others seek to emulate.
[Primary Source]
"PM Carney, Zelenskyy sign 100-year deal, Canada pledges to build millions of drones", CP24, September 10, 2026
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1876011223020544/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author