Press
Canada and Germany reaffirm their cooperation within NATO and, together with Norway, plan to strengthen security in the North Atlantic.
Berlin – Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has the NATO-Partner Canada invited to a joint partnership with Norway to protect infrastructure in the far north. “Let us establish a trilateral strategic maritime partnership to secure communication connections through the northern Atlantic and the Arctic,” said the SPD politician on Friday in the Canadian capital Ottawa at a meeting with his counterpart Bill Blair. The initiative could be the umbrella for joint activities.
Threats in the Canadian Arctic from Russia and China
Blair stressed that the Canadian Arctic faces increasing and new threats. It is being observed how both Russia and China are increasing their presence there. “With the Climate change “It will make a lot of this region much more accessible,” Blair said. “We may have once been able to rely on ice to defend the continent, but climate change is challenging those assumptions,” he said. Canada knows that it needs a stronger and more permanent presence in the northern region.
Canada’s New Defense Policy: Securing Arctic Sovereignty
In April, the Canadian government adopted new defense policy guidelines. It states that the priority task is to ensure its own sovereignty in the Arctic north, where Russia has the largest military presence of any country. The considerations are based, among other things, on the assumption that in the event of a military conflict with Russia in Europe there would also be a showdown in the strategically important Arctic.
Canada wants to be better prepared: climate change and autocratic systems
Climate change and challenges posed by autocratic systems – such as China – are also security policy challenges to which responses are being prepared. Canada wants to acquire additional reconnaissance capabilities and be better equipped on land and at sea. Most recently, the country – like other Western countries – was no longer able to achieve its own goal of 71,500 soldiers in the armed forces. This should be responded to with new recruitment efforts and incentives. Within five years, the equivalent of an additional 5.5 billion euros should be spent on armaments, and over 20 years, an additional 50 billion euros.
European security policy: Germany is ready to take a leading role
Pistorius arrived from Washington after emphasizing the day before that Germany is ready to take a leading role in European security policy and to provide the necessary military capacities for this. “Let us – the USA and Germany together – shape the future together with all those who stand for freedom, peace and the rules-based international order,” he said in a keynote speech at the renowned Johns Hopkins University. He had previously spoken to US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon.
Pistorius: “Only Europe and America keep the West strong”
The Europeans are aware that the US is focusing its attention on the Indo-Pacific and must respond to China’s arms buildup, aggressive economic policies and pursuit of geopolitical dominance. Germany is determined to make a contribution to the rules-based order here too. “I am convinced that only America and Europe together can keep the West strong and defend it against Russia’s expansionist ambitions and other actors’ hunger for power and dominance,” Pistorius said.
Canada strengthens Ukraine’s air defense through funding commitments
Canada agreed on Friday to contribute the equivalent of 51.5 million euros to the German initiative to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense against Russian attacks. Germany is campaigning for increased commitment among its allies, but so far it has only received promises – especially from Europe – that can be described as small compared to the needs of the Ukrainians. (dpa/jek)
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