#Canada #opens #embassies #Eastern #Europe #Ukraine #war
Canada on Wednesday said it would increase its diplomatic presence in Central and Eastern Europe and the Caucasus, opening four new embassies to “counter Russia’s destabilizing activities” in the region as the war in Ukraine drags on.
The announcement came as Group of Seven and NATO leaders, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, met this week to discuss how best to assist Kyiv in its fight against Moscow, which is high on the agenda both peaks are standing.
“Canada announces that we are increasing our diplomatic presence. Canada will open four new embassies in Estonia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Armenia,” Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Madrid.
“This diplomatic expansion will help steer Canada’s response to evolving security threats, enhance political and economic cooperation in support of European allies, further counteract the effects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and assist Armenia in its democratic development,” the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said the changes would also “further strengthen Canada’s engagement in the region, help counter Russia’s destabilizing activities and increase support for Operation REASSURANCE.”
This international military operation, with 1,400 Canadian troops stationed in Latvia, is currently the largest in Ottawa. Its aim is to strengthen NATO’s collective defense.
“We believe diplomacy remains one of the most effective ways to support security and stability,” Joly said in Madrid.
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