OTTAWA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd June, 2022) Canada is set to host Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian foreign ministers in Quebec and Toronto from June 1-3 to discuss transatlantic collaboration in face of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine as well as food and energy security, Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said on Wednesday.
"I am pleased to welcome to Canada our friends from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Transatlantic security is more important than ever," Joly said in a press release, while mentioning the need to address common security challenges.
Starting June 1 to 2, the ministers will be hosted in Quebec where the discussion will be centered around Russia's special military operation in Ukraine and other defense-related issues. Energy and food security is also on the agenda. Concluding the visit on June 3, the delegations will head for Toronto to discuss "democracy under threat from authoritarianism" with students at the Metropolitan University, and to celebrate 30 years of renewed diplomatic relations between Canada and the Baltic nations.
The ministerial visit happens amid discussion regarding the potential deployment of new battlegroups in the Baltics, a decision to be voted at Madrid's NATO summit on June 28-30 and to whom Canada has pledged its support. As of today, Ottawa has deployed around 1,400 soldiers in the Baltics, serving under Operation Reassurance, which is Canada's current largest military deployment abroad.
The special military operation in Ukraine has led to a financial and diplomatic boycott of Russia by the West, while also creating calls for NATO's eastern flank militarization. Countries such as Poland and the Baltics are asking for pledges of enhanced protection.
