Ahead of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Leaders’ Summit, Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau has committed $2.6 billion in funding starting in 2023-24, to renew and expand Operation REASSURANCE for three years.
In a statement released by the Prime Minister’s office on Monday stated that this new funding supports is Canada’s ongoing commitment to NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) on the Eastern Flank.
According to the statement, In 2014, when Putin invaded Ukraine for the first time, NATO countries came together to put into place assurance and deterrence measures in Central and Eastern Europe.
“Canada’s contribution to NATO’s response was to form Operation REASSURANCE – a military presence in Eastern Europe to deter Russian aggression and, if necessary, defend NATO territory.
“Now, as Russia’s ongoing, full-scale war in Ukraine is threatening democracy and our rules-based international system, with impacts like food insecurity and energy insecurity stretching beyond region, Canada will continue to stand with our Allies and the people of Ukraine – for as long as it takes.
The Prime Minister who is already in Riga, Latvia said REASSURANCE operation is Canada’s contribution to the biggest reinforcement of the Alliance’s collective defence in a generation, and Canada’s largest overseas mission, with up to 2200 troops to be persistently deployed, more than double the current deployment.
Adding that Canada will also procure and pre-position critical weapon systems, enablers, supplies and support intelligence, cyber, and space activities to fulfill pledges made under the Canada-Latvia Joint Declaration of June 2022.
“Canada will continue to work with Latvia and NATO Allies to ensure that eFP infrastructure is in place, and medical and dental services are provided to those supporting Operation REASSURANCE.
While in Latvia, Trudeau met with Canadian and multinational troops deployed there as part of the eFP mission.
The Prime Minister also visited Canadian trainers at Camp Ādaži, who are providing training assistance to Ukrainian officers as part of Canada’s Operation UNIFIER. He witnessed first-hand our troops’ work to provide military support to Ukraine.
He discussed with the newly-inaugurated President of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, and the Prime Minister of Latvia, Krišjānis Kariņš to continue strengthening ties and advancing freedom, democracy, the rule of law, while making life better for people.