The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, yesterday met with Artis Pabriks, Latvia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, during his visit to Ottawa.
Minister Joly welcomed Deputy Prime Minister Pabriks to Canada and thanked him for hosting Canadian Armed Forces members as part of the Government of Canada's leadership of NATO's enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group in Latvia.
The ministers discussed NATO's important role in upholding transatlantic security and reiterated their ongoing support to the Alliance, including NATO's planning to strengthen its deterrence and defence posture along its eastern flank.
The ministers discussed Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine and the disinformation campaign President Putin is employing in an effort to justify it. They underscored the need to continue working together to further support Ukraine while reinforcing European security.
Minister Joly shared Canada's commitment to holding the Russian regime, those who have funded and enabled this crisis, and those who are fuelling the disinformation war to account through comprehensive sanctions.
They committed to continuing to work together, and with the international community, to ensure a coordinated response to the Russian leadership's aggression against Ukraine.
