<div style="text-align: justify; "><b style="font-size: 1rem;">Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday said his government would purchase a US air defense system to donate to Ukraine.</b><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The US-built air defense system is worth $406 million Canadian (US$302 million), Defense Minister Anita Anand said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The announcement was made after a bilateral meeting between Trudeau and US President Joe Biden in Mexico City.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Canada is offering the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) to Ukraine to counter Russia's massive bombardment of its critical infrastructure, Anand said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Canada will continue to stand with the Ukrainian people as they fight against Russia's illegal and unjustifiable invasion," Anand tweeted.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky responded that Canada had "vividly proven" its support.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Thank you for helping us to protect our sky. NASAMS procured for us by Canada will be a strong shield for our cities and citizens," Zelensky tweeted.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The donation is in addition to the armored vehicles, artillery, ammunition, drone cameras and winter clothing that Canada has already provided to Ukraine to repel the Russian invasion.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Several other countries have delivered air defense systems to Kiev, including the United States, Norway, Spain, Germany and France.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The NASAMS defense system has proven highly successful in protecting against drone, missile and aircraft attack. AFP</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>