Today, Chief of the Defence Staff General Wayne Eyre concluded engagements with Allied Chiefs of Defence and visits with Canadian Armed Forces members as part of his participation in the Military Committee in Chiefs of Defence Session (MCCS), at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
This MCCS brought together Allied Chiefs of Defence and counterparts from Finland, Sweden, and Ukraine to discuss strengthening the defence and deterrence posture of NATO in a new era of collective defence and a rapidly evolving security environment. During the sessions, discussions centered around strategic considerations in planning, reactivating NATO's industrial base, Allied readiness and sustainment, and Alliance unity and solidarity with Ukraine. General Eyre took the opportunity to provide an update to his counterparts on Canadian Defence Minister Anita Anand's visit to Kyiv, and Canada's recent Ukraine donation announcements of 200 Roshel Senator Armoured Personnel Carriers and a National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS). General Eyre and MCCS delegates vowed to continue to help Ukraine win its fight against unprovoked and unjustifiable Russian aggression and protect the rules-based international order.
During his visit, General Eyre held meetings with Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), General Christopher Cavoli (USA); Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR), General Sir Tim Radford (UK); as well as Chiefs of Defence General Flemming Lentfer (Denmark); Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone (Italy); Lieutenant General Leonīds Kalniņš (Latvia); General Micael Bydén (Sweden); and Admiral Sir Tony Radakin (UK). They spoke at length about enduring commitments to the Alliance and to transatlantic security and expressed the need for continued dedication and partnership to defend and deter aggression in Europe, including in the Baltics. General Eyre also reassured them of Canada's commitment to take a leadership role as a framework nation and to grow the enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group in Latvia into a multinational brigade.
General Eyre also met with Canadian Ambassador and Permanent Representative to NATO, David Angell; Canadian Ambassador to the European Union, Ailish Campbell, and took the time to recognize Canadian Armed Forces members serving at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, and Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe Headquarters in Casteau, where he thanked them for their exemplary work representing Canada in NATO.
