NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg visited Ottawa on Wednesday to meet with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and discuss final preparations for the upcoming Washington Summit in July. During his visit, Stoltenberg highlighted Canada’s significant contributions to NATO and emphasized the importance of continued support for Ukraine.
At an event hosted by the NATO Association of Canada and the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association, Stoltenberg praised Canada for its pivotal role in enhancing NATO’s deterrence and defense capabilities. He specifically lauded Canada’s leadership in Latvia, where Canadian troops command a multinational battlegroup, and acknowledged the professionalism and dedication of the Canadian armed forces. “Canada has provided billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine, including air defense systems, battle tanks, and F-16 pilot training,” Stoltenberg noted, underscoring that robust support for Ukraine will be “the most urgent” priority at the Washington Summit.
Stoltenberg also commended Canada for its commitment to increasing defense spending. “Canada will add billions over the coming years, including by purchasing high-end new capabilities, modernizing NORAD, and investing in fifth-generation F-35 aircraft,” he said. He reiterated the expectation that all NATO allies should meet the guideline of spending two percent of their GDP on defense. “I know that this is not always easy … but when we reduce defense spending when tensions are going down, we must be able to increase spending, investments in our security, when tensions are increasing and are high as they are today,” Stoltenberg added.
Canada has consistently prioritized global partnerships, which Stoltenberg highlighted as another key focus for the Alliance ahead of its 75th anniversary Summit. “The war in Ukraine demonstrates that our security is not regional, our security is global,” he emphasized. He pointed out the growing alignment between Russia and its allies in Asia, making collaboration with Indo-Pacific partners even more crucial.
During the event, Stoltenberg was honored with the Louis St. Laurent Award for his “outstanding service to peace and security.” The award, named after Canadian Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent, recognizes significant contributions to international peace and security and commemorates St. Laurent’s role in NATO’s founding in 1949.
Canada has made substantial contributions to NATO missions, including leading the NATO enhanced Forward Presence battlegroup in Latvia, participating in NATO Air Policing missions, and supporting NATO’s training missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Despite these contributions, Canada has not yet met NATO’s guideline of spending two percent of its GDP on defense, currently allocating about 1.4 percent. This shortfall continues to be a point of discussion and expectation among NATO allies.
Stoltenberg’s visit underscores the ongoing commitment and critical role Canada plays within the NATO alliance, while also highlighting areas for continued growth and investment in collective security.