OTTAWA — Prime Defence Minister Anita Anand says the government believes in the importance of bolstering NATO’s eastern flank in response to Russia’s military buildup, and that discussions are underway around reinforcing Canada’s support in eastern Europe.
Yet the minister, who was speaking on Wednesday from the Latvian capital of Riga — her last stop in a three-country tour that included visits to Ukraine and NATO headquarters in Brussels — declined to say when a Canadian decision could come.
“At the current time, we are considering options to reinforce in eastern Europe,” Anand told The Canadian Press, adding: “We are working with our allies and co-ordinating across the alliance.”
She also did not say specifically whether sending more troops is an option. Her office would not say whether an increased military presence is on or off the table.
“We are closely monitoring the security situation and are working with NATO allies to determine how best we can continue to support the security of the Baltic states going forward,” her spokeswoman, Sabrina Kim, said in a written statement Wednesday.
