By Canadian Press

Defence minister talks with NATO allies about strengthening Latvian battlegroup

Oct 12, 2022 | 10:10 AM

OTTAWA — Defence Minister Anita Anand says she has met with allies to discuss reinforcing a NATO battlegroup in Latvia with thousands more soldiers, even as uncertainty swirls around what more this country can actually provide.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced an agreement in June to strengthen the 2,000-soldier battlegroup, which Canada has been leading since 2016 and includes troops from 10 other NATO members.

The deal followed similar arrangements involving seven other eastern European countries where NATO has battlegroups designed to deter the threat of a Russian attack.

At a NATO defence ministers’ meeting in Brussels this morning, Anand says she spoke with representatives from the other countries with a presence in Latvia about adding more troops and equipment.

Latvian Ambassador to Canada Kaspars Ozolins says such talks are still in their early phases, but are expected to ramp up as the partners iron out who will contribute what and where.

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It remains unclear how many troops Canada can add to the 700 already in Latvia, with the Canadian Armed Forces struggling with a critical personnel shortage.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 12, 2022.

The Canadian Press