The Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, travelled to Bardufoss and Oslo in Norway this week to bolster Canada’s Arctic security, defence cooperation, and economic partnerships, while strengthening ties with Nordic allies and reinforcing transatlantic security in the High North.
According to a press release issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, Prime Minister Mark Carney observed Exercise Cold Response in Bardufoss. The exercise, led by North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and hosted by Norway above the Arctic Circle, aims to strengthen the Alliance’s readiness, interoperability, and defence capabilities. He was joined by Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
During his visit to Oslo, Prime Minister Carney met with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. The two leaders issued a joint statement outlining new ambition to build on the longstanding partnership between Canada and Norway. The statement highlighted their shared commitment to NATO, support for Ukraine, cooperation in the Arctic, and new partnerships in energy, critical minerals, trade, and emerging technologies such as space communications, security, and artificial intelligence.
Prime Minister Carney also attended the Canada-Nordic Summit, where he met leaders from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. In a joint statement, the leaders outlined a deepened partnership between Canada and the Nordic nations in areas including trade, technology, energy, defence, and security, and reaffirmed efforts to strengthen transatlantic security in the North.
While in Oslo, the Prime Minister Carney also held meetings with business leaders to position Canada as a premier destination for international capital.
Following his visit to Norway, Prime Minister Carney is scheduled to travel to the United Kingdom to meet with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and hold an audience with King Charles III. Discussions will focus on progress in strengthening Canada-UK defence, trade, and economic partnerships.
Prime Minister Carney said the Arctic and the High North are central to Canada’s national identity and strategic autonomy, adding that Canada is intensifying cooperation with trusted Nordic partners to strengthen Arctic and transatlantic security and create opportunities for Canadian businesses and workers.