Canada to lead upgraded combat force in Latvia

Canada has signed an agreement to upgrade the NATO battlegroup it leads in Latvia to a brigade, a move that signals its commitment to the military alliance, while continuing to resist calls to boost defence spending.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau oversaw a small ceremony as Defence Minister Anita Anand and her Latvian counterpart signed the agreement on the sidelines of a major NATO summit in Spain where Russia’s war in Ukraine has been front and centre.

Trudeau said the agreement lays out the next steps for the Canadianled battlegroup in Latvia, “given Russia’s more aggressive posture.”

“This is a commitment that the Canadian government is making together with Latvia to work with our allies to move towards and surge to a brigade-level battalion and brigade-level force in Latvia,” Anand told reporters afterward.

However, the government says it’s too early to say whether that will entail deploying additional Canadian troops.

The Canadian-led NATO battlegroup in Latvia comprises about 2,000 troops, including 700 Canadians, and is one of eight such combat units based in eastern Europe designed to deter and defend against any Russian invasion.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg confirmed Monday the eight battlegroups will be increased to brigade-level forces, which will mean doubling the number of troops to between 3,000 and 5,000.

Germany and Britain both said in recent weeks that they are ready to lead larger combat units in Lithuania and Estonia, respectively, and there had been questions about whether Canada would follow suit. Yet even as Anand and Latvian Defence Minister Artis Pabriks were lauding the agreement, they also described it as a first step in what will be a longer process to determine exactly which countries will be contributing new troops and gear.

The new brigade will require not only more soldiers, Anand said, but also additional equipment and capabilities such as anti-tank weaponry and air defences, as well as upgraded command and control units and ammunition.

Anand left the door open to Canada providing some of those additional forces, but said the finer details of building the new unit will be contingent on discussions with different NATO members about their ability to assist. That includes even the final size of the force, which neither Anand nor Pabriks could accurately describe.

The stock-taking exercise has already started, said Anand, who noted the Canadian-led battlegroup includes troops from 10 other alliance countries, making it the most diverse such unit in the region.

The Latvia battlegroup already includes an artillery unit of about 100 Canadian troops recently added in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Canada has also promised several senior officers to the country. The battlegroup is in addition to several naval warships currently deployed with two NATO task forces around Europe along with transport and surveillance aircraft.