Freeland calls Ukraine a ‘fantastic investment’ as Ottawa pledges $235 million

By Canadian Press on December 3, 2025.

OTTAWA — Former federal minister Chrystia Freeland says Ukraine can become an economic juggernaut and boost European economies by taking up the opportunities it missed after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Freeland, appointed in September by Prime Minister Mark Carney as his special envoy for the reconstruction of Ukraine, gave her first major speech in Canada about the role on Tuesday.

Freeland says that while Ukraine missed out on an economic boom when it secured independence in 1991, it can unleash its potential once the war with Russia ends through innovation.

She says Ukraine is “a fantastic investment for the businesses that have the courage to invest now” and is urging Canadian businesses to get in on the ground floor.

Freeland also says that a recent corruption scandal in Ukraine is proof of a healthy democracy doing the hard work of investigating possible wrongdoing and seeking accountability.

Her comments come after Ottawa pledged another $235 million for Ukraine through the NATO military alliance, and Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says this will help Ukraine cover the cost of fuel, medical supplies and winter gear.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 3, 2025.

Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press