Canada opens four new embassies in Europe and the Caucasus in what the government sees as an effort to counter Russia, strengthen ties with NATO allies and support democracy.
In addition, the government has agreed to upgrade the 2,000-strong battalion group it leads in Latvia to a brigade, increasing the number of troops and pledging to lead it at least for the next five years.
Foreign Minister Melanie Joly announced on Wednesday that Canada is expanding existing diplomatic offices in Estonia, Lithuania and Slovakia into full embassies with ambassadors and a goal to counter “Russia’s destabilizing activities” in the region.
In addition, Canada will also open a new embassy in Armenia, a former Soviet republic located on the eastern flank of Turkey.
Read more: NATO invites Sweden and Finland to join the alliance, as Russia considers a “direct threat”
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In a press release, Joly described the goal of putting a Canadian ambassador to Armenia as “enabling stronger bilateral ties and greater Canadian support for Armenian democracy.”
“Russia’s illegal, unjustifiable and horrific invasion of Ukraine has changed the diplomatic and security landscape in Europe, and Canada must respond strategically,” Joly said.
“Based on Canada’s strong relationship with its European partners, the changes announced today will help ensure that we have the tools we need to strengthen Armenian democracy and address some of the greatest security and diplomatic challenges of our time.”
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Read more: Sweden and Finland join NATO, a “destabilizing” movement, according to Russian minister
He described Canada as a “great diplomatic power.”
The announcement comes when NATO members formally invited Finland and Sweden to join the military alliance and announced that they will now formally treat Russia as the “most significant and direct threat to Allied security.” .
In comments to reporters at the NATO summit on Wednesday, Joly said the alliance recognizes the need to push back Russian influence and that the opening of embassies will put Canada in a better position to address the campaigns. of influence and misinformation on the ground.
The summit saw leaders update the alliance’s top strategic document for the first time in 10 years to declassify Russia as a strategic partner and instead as NATO’s main threat.
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Read more: NATO is preparing for the biggest overhaul since the Cold War. Where is Canada?
Russian President Vladimir Putin has described Ukraine’s desire for closer ties with NATO as a threat to Russia, and has tried to justify its invasion of sovereign democracy by marking it as an effort to prevent NATO enlargement to Russia.
However, its invasion has now spurred exactly what it wanted to avoid: an enlarged NATO with Finland and Sweden joining, and a massive military presence of defense and deterrence forces in Eastern European and Baltic states.
NATO is governed by the principle of collective defense, that is, an attack — physical or cyber — against one member is an attack on all members and will face a joint response.
With files from The Canadian Press.
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