Brussels/IBNS-CMEDIA: Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand met the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Mark Rutte, on Monday to discuss Canada’s defence commitments to NATO, with talks focused on Arctic security, military spending and support for Ukraine.
According to a statement, Anand told Rutte that Canada has reached NATO’s target of spending 2% of gross domestic product on defence and is working toward the alliance’s longer-term 5% defence investment goal discussed ahead of the upcoming summit in The Hague.
The minister said Canada remains committed to strengthening collective defence across the Euro-Atlantic region, including increased defence and deterrence efforts in the Arctic amid growing geopolitical competition in the region.
Anand also updated Rutte on Canada’s role in developing the proposed Defence Security and Resilience Bank, an initiative aimed at strengthening defence industrial capacity among allied countries.
The discussions also focused on cooperation with Nordic allies, emerging defence technologies and continued military assistance to Ukraine.
Canada recently announced approximately C$270 million ($198 million) in support through the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List, a NATO-backed mechanism designed to help meet Ukraine’s military needs.
Rutte welcomed Canada’s role within the alliance and emphasised the importance of transatlantic unity in responding to evolving global security threats, according to the statement.
Both sides agreed to continue coordination ahead of upcoming NATO ministerial meetings in Helsingborg and the alliance summit in Ankara.
(Reporting by Suman Das)
