Canada will join three other countries, including the United States, in deploying troops to Eastern Europe as part of a NATO brigade, leaders announced Thursday.
CBC News reported that Canada will lead a battalion of troops in the region, according to a statement released by Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan and Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion. Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany will each lead battalions to bolster NATO’s defenses in the region.
The four multinational battalions will be deployed on a rotational basis to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said earlier this month. "This will send a clear signal that NATO stands ready to defend any ally," Stoltenberg said then.
Poland and the Baltic states have called for an increased NATO deterrent following Russia’s aggressive actions in Ukraine. Russia has criticized NATO’s planned military buildup in Eastern Europe and said it will send its own troops westward to counter the alliance’s presence.
Canada is expected to deploy troops to Latvia, the Wall Street Journal reported, while the United States will send troops to Poland, the U.K. to Estonia, and Germany to Lithuania. Other countries such as Denmark and France are also expected to contribute smaller numbers of troops.
"As a responsible partner in the world, Canada stands side by side with its NATO allies working to deter aggression and assure peace and stability in Europe," Sajjan said in a statement Thursday. "I am tremendously proud that we are taking a leadership role as a NATO framework nation. I know our men and women in uniform will represent the best that Canada has to offer."
Officials did not provide details on the number of troops expected to deploy, though sources told CBC that Canada will deploy hundreds of troops to the region.
Canada’s announcement comes days before the NATO summit in Warsaw on July 8. Stoltenberg lauded the country’s commitment on Thursday.
"Ahead of our landmark summit in Warsaw next month, this is a strong sign of trans-Atlantic commitment to our common security, and an important part of NATO’s response to a more dangerous world," Stoltenberg said.