Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Tuesday that Canada is extending its mission in Latvia for another three years.Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press
Prime Minister Mark Carney wrapped up a four-day tour of Eastern and Central Europe on Wednesday with a visit to Canadian Forces members stationed at Camp Adazi in Latvia, where Canada leads a NATO mission aimed at countering Russian aggression in the region.
About 2,000 Canadian troops are stationed at the base as part of Operation Reassurance, which includes 14 NATO members.
The Prime Minister announced the day before that Canada will be extending its mission in Latvia for another three years. Canada’s involvement in Latvia started in 2014 as a response to Russia’s initial invasion of Ukraine.
Canada’s military operation in Latvia will be extended by three years, Carney says
Canada shortlists German, South Korean companies for major submarines purchase
“Today, this battle group has grown into a major multinational brigade, with Canada leading more than 3,500 soldiers from those 14 nations,” Mr. Carney said. “Soldiers working together to deter and defend against Russian aggression on NATO’s eastern flank and to fortify our shared defence by air, by land and sea.”
In his speech, he highlighted the government’s June pledge to align with an effort by NATO allies to spend 3.5 per cent of GDP on defence by 2035 and 1.5 per cent on related expenditures, such as critical infrastructure.
He also pointed to the government’s announcement this month of a significant pay increase for Canadian Forces members.
“The pay of our soldiers should reflect the weight of their responsibilities,” he said.
Prime Minister Mark Carney toured the Ādaži Military Base in Latvia to close out his European trip. Mr. Carney had announced the Canadian Armed Forces presence there will be extended by another three years to 2029.
The Canadian Press
The Prime Minister did not take questions from the media on Wednesday.
At the base, Canadian Forces members had arranged a long row of tanks, armoured vehicles and other equipment. Mr. Carney walked down the row chatting with soldiers about their responsibilities.
Some of the soldiers who spoke to the media said the recent announcement of a pay raise for the military was welcomed. They also said they hope the announced increase in defence spending will lead to upgrades of basic equipment such as vests.
Bombardier Wayne Fraser, who operates four CU-172 Blackjack uncrewed aerial vehicles on the base, said it would be good to have more.
“Increased defence spending really refers to new equipment. It’s really nice. That’ll help us do our job more effectively and more efficiently,” he said.
Opinion: Mark Carney had no choice but to go ‘elbows down’ – all our allies already have
Colonel Kris Reeves, who recently took command of the NATO mission at Camp Adazi, said training with various sizes and types of drones is a growing priority.
“Turn on the news and you see how important, for lack of a better term, drones are in the Ukraine fight. We are watching, studying, understanding how that fight is there. But we need those pieces of equipment here in Latvia,” he said.
Mr. Carney’s week began Sunday with a visit to Kyiv, where he appeared in the capital’s Sophia Square alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to mark the country’s Independence Day.
During that stop, he said he would not rule out the possibility of Canadian troops playing some role in guaranteeing Ukraine’s security against Russian aggression in the event of a peace deal.
Momentum toward such a deal appears to have stalled, however, as Russian President Vladimir Putin has yet to agree to meet with Mr. Zelensky for direct talks.
Ottawa to back port expansions as part of infrastructure push
All four of Mr. Carney’s stops, which also included Poland and Germany, focused on defence themes.
In Germany on Tuesday, he announced that Canada had shortlisted two companies – one from Germany and another from South Korea – to compete for the contract to supply the Royal Canadian Navy with up to 12 new submarines.
He then travelled in a German military helicopter to Kiel for a firsthand look at a 212-A class submarine made by Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, or TKMS.
Canada’s Defence Minister, David McGuinty, was with the Prime Minister throughout the trip.
“After a few days of being immersed in a situation here, specifically around Ukraine and the Russian invasion, one of the conclusions is that Canada just needs to be here,” Mr. McGuinty told reporters Wednesday during the visit to Camp Adazi. “The purpose of being here today is to thank our Canadian troops who are here serving in an advanced location.”