OTTAWA, ON (April 2, 2024): Amid escalating tensions in Europe, the Canadian-led Enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) battlegroup in Latvia stands as a testament to NATO’s commitment to regional security. Spearheaded by Canada, the partnership with Latvia has evolved into a notable success story over the past seven years.
In a new paper, Success assured? Appraising the Canadian-Led Enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup in Latvia, authors Toms Rostoks and Alexander Lanoszka offer their assessment of the battlegroup, identifying its strengths as well as the mounting challenges it faces.
“The fundamental problem facing the battlegroup is that its capabilities might be insufficient to properly defend Latvia against a highly resolved and militarily reconstituted Russia,” observe Rostoks and Lanoszka.
“Canada is unlikely to be able to contribute beyond its current military commitment.”
Rostoks and Lanoszka review the history of the eFP deployment, discuss the expectations of Latvia and Canada, assess the current state of play as regards to the battlegroup and finally conclude by outlining several policy recommendations, notably to:
• Develop a comprehensive plan to address constraints faced by the Canadian Armed Forces and uphold commitments to NATO allies;
• Enhance public awareness and understanding of Canada’s long-term strategic objectives in countering Russian aggression;
• Foster continued collaboration between Canadian and Latvian forces to ensure operational effectiveness;
• Strengthen political and military cooperation among Baltic Host Nations and Framework Nations to optimize regional defence strategies.
As discussions continue, the report underscores the importance of sustained commitment and cooperation to safeguard regional stability and uphold NATO’s collective defence principles.
To learn more, read the full report here:
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Toms Rostoks is the director of the Centre for Security and Strategic Research at the National Defence Academy of Latvia.
Alexander Lanoszka is associate professor of international relations in the department of political science at the University of Waterloo in Canada and a Senior Fellow with the Macdonald-Laurier Institute
For further information, media are invited to contact:
Skander Belouizdad
Communications Officer
613-482-8327 x111
skander.belouizdad@macdonaldlaurier.ca
