Riga, August 27, 2025 – The Europe Today: Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Tuesday that Canada will extend its largest overseas military mission in Latvia for an additional three years, reinforcing the country’s commitment to NATO’s collective defense.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Riga alongside Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina, Carney said the extension will further bolster the alliance’s deterrence posture.
“We will, in the process, increase the brigade’s capabilities here in Latvia, reinforce our collective defense, strengthen our cooperative security, and keep the NATO presence strong,” Carney stated.
Operation REASSURANCE currently deploys around 2,000 Canadian troops in Latvia, making it Canada’s largest NATO commitment. Canada leads the NATO Multinational Brigade, which includes forces from 14 countries and totals about 3,000 personnel.
In his remarks, Carney reiterated his firm stance toward Russia, recalling a phrase once favored by former U.S. president Ronald Reagan. “We can’t ‘trust but verify’ with Putin … we must deter and fortify,” he said, echoing a message he had also delivered in Kyiv during Ukraine’s Independence Day celebrations.
The NATO mission in Latvia began in 2014 and was extended in 2022 following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The latest extension underscores Canada’s determination to play a central role in strengthening NATO’s eastern flank.
Carney is scheduled to visit Canadian troops stationed at a Latvian base on Wednesday before concluding his European tour and returning to Canada.
