‘We’re Learning From Them’: Canada’s First Female Military Chief on Ukraine, Russia, and What Comes Next

Canada's top general discusses training Ukrainian instructors, NATO's readiness, and why a Russian defeat matters far beyond Europe's borders. Make us preferred on Google Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Jennie Carignan, then the incoming commander of NATO’s Iraq mission, salutes during the handover ceremony in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on November 26, 2019. (Photo by SABAH ARAR / AFP) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google Lieutenant General Jennie Carignan, the first woman to lead Canada ’s Armed Forces, says Ottawa remains committed to Ukraine’s long-term defense while adapting support to the evolving realities of modern warfare. Carignan, who joined the Canadian Army in 1986 and has served in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Iraq, and Syria, told Kyiv Post on the sidelines of the Kyiv Security Forum that Canada’s military cooperation with Ukraine has been ongoing since 2015 and will continue “in various different ways,” including training, equipment, and ammunition supplies. Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . She said she is in regular contact with Ukraine’s Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief, Oleksandr Syrsky, to align priorities, and that both sides are “definitely focused on air defense systems and ammunition.” She confirmed that additional deliveries are expected in the coming months, including air defense systems, armored vehicles, medical evacuation vehicles, and various types of ammunition. On training, Carignan said Canadian forces are working with Ukrainian troops in Poland as part of Operation Unifier. She added that the program has evolved significantly in response to battlefield realities, particularly around drone and electronic warfare. Canada has shifted toward training Ukrainian instructors rather than only frontline soldiers. “You can be a very good combatant, but becoming an instructor to pass on those skills and knowledge is another story,” she said, adding that this approach allows Ukrainian experience to be embedded more effectively into training systems. Other Topics of Interest North Korea’s Growing Nuclear Arsenal Could Strain US Missile Defenses – Bloomberg Analysis Citing intelligence estimates and expert assessments, the report warns that Pyongyang is steadily increasing both its stockpile of nuclear warheads and the systems designed to deliver them. Carignan acknowledged that Ukraine is actively reshaping modern warfare and said Canada is “learning so much” from its Ukrainian counterparts. “In those training institutions where we interact with Ukrainian Armed Forces, we are learning a lot from them directly, and we also organize specific working groups where that knowledge is also passed, so that we can integrate that as part of our modernization efforts.” She confirmed that deeper joint programs are already being discussed, with Ottawa focused on Ukraine’s immediate battlefield needs. “The most immediate need right now is to win the battle against Russia, so we are very much focused on that aspect,” she told Kyiv Post. Canada is also planning for “what comes next” after active hostilities, she added. On potential future troop deployments, Carignan pointed to discussion within the “coalition of the willing,” involving France, the United Kingdom, and other partner, with planning covering possible contributions in training, airspace security, maritime security, and the regeneration of Ukraine’s Armed Forces. Any future presence, she stressed, would depend entirely on the terms of a peace agreement and its implementation. “There’s still a lot to do,” she said. When asked whether a peace deal could be reached within a year, she said it was difficult to predict, emphasizing the need to continue negotiations and that any agreement must be “acceptable for Ukrainians.” Assessing the battlefield, Carignan praised Ukraine’s military performance as a combination of “courage, endurance, creativity, and innovation,” saying Ukrainian forces have managed to hold the line and even regain terrain despite difficult conditions. “Which is extraordinary considering the odds at the moment, but very successful at maintaining the line and reinforcing this strength that they have been displaying since the beginning of this war, which is over 12 years now.” General Jennie Carignan, Chief of the Defence Staff of the Canadian Armed Forces, poses for a portrait in her office at the National Defence headquarters in Ottawa, on March 30, 2026. Photo: Daphné LEMELIN / AFP On Russian losses and the possibility of a general mobilization, Carignan said it was “very hard to tell” whether Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin would take such a step, but acknowledged that Russian forces are suffering heavy casualties and facing significant battlefield pressure. “They are definitely having a very, very hard time on the Russian side,” she told Kyiv Post. On broader NATO-Russia tensions, Carignan said the alliance is closely monitoring Russian activity. “If Russia can attempt to seize territory in Ukraine, this expansionist view can happen somewhere else,” she said, stressing that NATO would be ready for “any type of threat,” and that Ukraine’s success remains strategically important for the alliance. She framed a Ukrainian victory in broader geopolitical terms – “topping Russian expansionist views” and representing “a victory for democracy, and the victory of freedom over authoritarian governments.” “It means a safer Europe as well,” she added, with direct relevance for Canada given Russian activity in the Arctic region. Asked about reports of war simulations involving the United States and political rhetoric suggesting tensions with Washington, Carignan firmly rejected any conflict scenario between Canada and the US , saying: “This is not the scenario that we are envisioning at all. I want to make this very, very clear.” She pointed instead to deep military integration through NORAD and said together Canada and the US “defend our continent.” Julia is a Deputy Head of News and correspondent for Kyiv Post who has previously worked as a parliamentary editor, journalist, and news editor. She has specialized in covering the work of the Ukrainian parliament, government, and law enforcement agencies.