What Has Canada Learned from Op UNIFIER?

Through Operation UNIFIER, Canada’s ongoing support for Ukraine demonstrates the critical role of middle powers in combatting contemporary security challenges. Since 2015, Op UNIFIER has provided training and advisory support to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Helping to strengthen their capacity, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) has served as a bridge to increase Ukrainian’s interoperability with other NATO partners. Particularly since Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the mission has adapted to sustain Ukraine’s defence and institutional reforms by moving to third-country locations (remaining under Canadian direction). In this week’s Expert Series, Lieutenant Colonel Cole Petersen, (ret'd) Major General Bill Seymour, and Jill Sinclair examine the evolution and ongoing impact of Op UNIFIER. They discuss the mission’s early stages, the Ukrainian request for assistance, and the collaborative NATO response, including the Multinational Joint Commission. The panelists highlight Canada’s unique contributions to building trust and capacity, the integration of new operational technologies such as drones, and the challenges of adapting training and support to Ukraine’s changing needs. In discussion, panelists also highlight the broader implications of Canadian involvement in Op UNIFIER, through emphasis on the strategic value of international cooperation and lessons learned for the CAF. By doing so, they examined the vital role this mission has played in reinforcing Canada’s role as a cornerstone of Allied defence.➡️ LinkedIn:   / cdainstitute  ➡️ Twitter/X: https://x.com/CDAInstitute➡️ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/cdainstitute...➡️ Instagram: https://bit.ly/42ih7SU📬 Visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest defence and security updates delivered to your inbox: https://bit.ly/4fQ2wDVThe CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.Learn more: CDA Institute