WARSAW - Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Poland on Saturday, marking the start of a mission aimed at enhancing economic and security relationships with European allies. This trip, which includes stops in Warsaw, Berlin, and Riga, Latvia, is Carney's fourth visit to Europe since he took office in March.

Carney's European tour comes as Canada seeks to strengthen its ties with Europe amid a cooling relationship with the United States under President Donald Trump. He departed Ottawa early Saturday morning, accompanied by Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson, Defence Minister David McGuinty, and Industry Minister Mélanie Joly.

In his previous trips, Carney has emphasized Canada's European connections, referring to the country as the "most European of non-European nations." His recent engagements included meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron, King Charles, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. In May, he attended the inauguration mass for Pope Leo XIV in Rome and met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. In June, he signed a new defense and security agreement with the European Union in Brussels, which allows Canada to participate in the Re-Arm Europe initiative, reducing reliance on the U.S. for defense.

A senior government official stated that strengthening ties with Europe is a "top priority" for Carney's administration. The trip aims to diversify Canada's trade relationships amid ongoing U.S. tariffs and to deepen defense and security agreements.

While in Poland, Carney is expected to meet with Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Karol Nawrocki. Discussions will focus on advancing trade talks in energy, defense, and aerospace, as well as support for Ukraine. Poland serves as a crucial transit hub for military assistance to Ukraine, where Canada has trained 45,000 Ukrainian troops since 2015 through Operation Unifier. Much of this training has occurred in Poland since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Marcin Gabrys, chair of Canadian Studies at Jagiellonian University in Krakow, noted that Poland has "very solid foundations" in its relations with Canada and is eager for more cooperation in sectors like nuclear technology. Both countries signed an agreement in January for projects involving small modular reactors. Gabrys highlighted the potential for economic cooperation, particularly in mining and critical minerals, and through Poland's significant diaspora in Canada.

Carney's discussions in Germany will also focus on critical minerals. He is scheduled to meet with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin on Tuesday. Carney expressed his intent to strengthen Canada's partnership with Germany, stating, "There’s a broad range of areas, from critical minerals to energy and defense and security, where we are intensifying our discussions with Germany." Germany is Canada's largest export market in Europe, and the two nations have pledged $600 million to export Canadian hydrogen to Europe through an agreement signed in August 2022.

Carney's trip will conclude with a meeting with Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa on Wednesday, followed by a visit to Canadian troops stationed in Latvia. Canada has led a multinational NATO battle group in Latvia since 2017, reinforcing the eastern flank of the military alliance in response to Russia's aggression. This mission is part of a broader NATO strategy that includes eight battle groups established in Eastern Europe.

The senior official noted that 1,900 members of the Canadian Armed Forces are stationed in Latvia, making it Canada's largest overseas mission. Marcus Kolga, a senior fellow with the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, emphasized the importance of this mission, stating, "It’s probably one of the most important international missions that we’ve been engaged in since the liberation of the Netherlands in World War II."

The European trip occurs amid ongoing efforts to negotiate peace in Ukraine's conflict with Russia. Recently, Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and later with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders. Canada is part of the Coalition of the Willing, a group committed to supporting Ukraine in its struggle against Russia. Carney has participated in virtual meetings of this coalition but has not confirmed Canada's role in any potential peacekeeping efforts.