Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is scheduled to embark on a trip to Europe next week to attend the annual NATO leaders’ summit. The summit, taking place in Lithuania on July 11 and 12, coincides with the extension of Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg’s term for another year.
NATO’s recent expansion, which now includes Finland and Canada, has sparked discussions about potentially allowing Sweden to join the alliance as well.
Before attending the summit, Trudeau will visit Latvia on July 10, where he will meet with the Latvian president and prime minister in the capital city of Riga. It’s worth noting that Canada leads an 11-nation NATO battle group in Latvia, making it Canada’s largest overseas mission.
In a recent commitment, Defence Minister Anita Anand pledged to bolster the battle group by adding a tank squadron and approximately 130 troops. This move aims to transform the battle group into a combat-ready brigade, reinforcing Canada’s commitment to NATO.
Prime Minister Trudeau’s visit to Europe underscores Canada’s active participation within the alliance and its dedication to promoting collective security and cooperation among NATO member nations.