WARSAW — Prime Minister Mark Carney embarked on a significant European tour on Saturday, aiming to strengthen Canada's economic and security relationships with its European allies. This marks Carney's fourth trip to Europe since taking office in March, as he seeks to align Canada more closely with European nations amid a cooling relationship with the United States under President Donald Trump.
The Prime Minister's European itinerary includes visits to Warsaw, Berlin, and Riga, Latvia. Accompanying him on this trip are Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson, Defence Minister David McGuinty, and Industry Minister Mélanie Joly. Carney previously visited France and the United Kingdom shortly after assuming office, where he emphasized Canada's ties to Europe.
In May, he was in Rome for the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV and meetings with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The following month, Carney signed a new defence and security agreement with the European Union in Brussels, allowing Canada to participate in the Re-Arm Europe initiative — a move intended to reduce reliance on U.S. defence resources.
A senior government official disclosed that enhancing Canada's ties with Europe is a "top priority" for Carney's administration. The focus of this trip will be to diversify Canada's trade relations amid ongoing tariffs imposed by the U.S. and to strengthen defence pacts.
While in Poland, Carney is anticipated to meet with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Karol Nawrocki. A key topic will be advancing trade discussions in sectors such as energy, defence, and aerospace, with a particular emphasis on supporting Ukraine amidst the ongoing conflict there. Poland serves as a vital transit point for military assistance to Ukraine and has been integral to Canada’s Operation Unifier, which has trained 45,000 Ukrainian troops since 2015, with much of that training conducted in Poland since Russia's invasion in February 2022.
Marcin Gabrys, chair of Canadian Studies at Jagiellonian University in Krakow, highlighted the strong foundations of Canada-Poland relations and the potential for enhanced cooperation in areas like nuclear technology. Both countries signed an agreement in January to collaborate on small modular reactors, underscoring their commitment to future energy projects.
Carney's discussions will also spotlight Canada's reserves of critical minerals during his meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin on Tuesday. He aims to strengthen existing partnerships with Germany, which is Canada's largest export market in Europe. In an agreement signed in August 2022, Canada and Germany jointly pledged $600 million to facilitate the export of Canadian hydrogen to Europe.
In Latvia, Carney is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Evika Silina and visit Canadian troops stationed there as part of NATO's multinational battle group established to bolster the alliance’s eastern defenses. This mission is a crucial element of NATO’s strategy to deter potential aggression from Russia, with Canada leading one of the eight battle groups in Eastern Europe since 2017.
With approximately 1,900 Canadian Armed Forces members stationed in Latvia, this mission is regarded as one of Canada’s most significant international efforts since World War II. Senior fellow Marcus Kolga from the Macdonald-Laurier Institute emphasized the importance of the mission, suggesting it significantly contributes to Latvian security while sending a resolute message regarding Canada’s stance against Russian aggression.
These diplomatic engagements occur amid heightened global efforts to negotiate peace in Ukraine's conflict with Russia. While Carney has participated in virtual meetings of the Coalition of the Willing, there remains uncertainty about Canada’s role in peacekeeping should a ceasefire be achieved.
