Kiev Urges Canada To Accelerate Arms Supplies, Give Direct Access To Producers - Reports

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st June, 2023) Ukraine has privately expressed Canada its dissatisfaction with the pace of arms deliveries and called for direct access to the Canadian defense sector, Canadian CBC broadcaster reported.

Officials in Kiev told the Canadian government behind closed doors that weapons supplies should be carried out quicker and urged it to create more structured delivery system and let Ukraine speak with Canadian defense manufacturers directly, according to the report, issued on Wednesday.

Additionally, the news outlet reported that Ukraine Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov addressed the annual trade exhibition of the Canadian Association of Defence and Security on Wednesday to bypass the country's government.

He expressed hope that the new version of Canada's defense strategy will incorporate a strong commitment to military support for Kiev. While it is unknown when exactly this document will be published, the international community is pressing Ottawa to finalize it as soon as possible, preferably before the July NATO summit in Lithuania, according to the report.

Canada, alongside other Western nations, has been supplying weapons to Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's military operation. Its support, worth over $1 billion, included tanks, armored vehicles, howitzers and various defense systems.