PM Carney Advances Global Partnerships at NATO Summit in The Hague
Canadian Prime Minister meets with leaders from Estonia, Nordic countries, and New Zealand to strengthen ties in defence, trade, and energy
The Hague, Netherlands – Prime Minister Mark Carney held a series of high-level meetings with international leaders this week during the NATO Summit in The Hague, deepening Canada’s defence partnerships and economic ties with key global allies.
On June 25, Carney met with Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal, the Prime Ministers of Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. The discussions touched on shared priorities such as military readiness, regional and global security, trade, and clean energy — with particular attention to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Canada and Estonia: Building Resilience and Energy Ties
In his meeting with Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal, Carney emphasized the strength of Canada–Estonia relations. The two leaders discussed expanding cooperation in commerce, defence, and energy, including collaboration on critical minerals — a sector growing in strategic importance across NATO countries.
Carney also highlighted Canada’s plan to meet the NATO defence spending target of 2 percent of GDP this year and to accelerate military investments in future years. Both leaders reaffirmed their support for Ukraine and called for a just and lasting peace.
Meeting with the leaders of Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden at the NATO Summit.
As Arctic nations, we face shared, rising threats in the region. Our Alliance is key to keeping the north strong and secure.
🇨🇦🇩🇰🇮🇸🇳🇴🇸🇪 pic.twitter.com/KqpJ0DdgRJ
— Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) June 25, 2025
Nordic Leaders and Canada Align on Defence and Critical Minerals
On the margins of the summit, Carney met with Nordic leaders: Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Icelandic Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.
As fellow NATO Allies, the leaders emphasized regional security and underscored the importance of investing in infrastructure and defence. They also explored avenues to strengthen economic partnerships in sectors such as energy, defence procurement, and critical minerals — key to both clean energy transitions and military readiness.
They unanimously voiced continued support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russian aggression.
Canada–New Zealand: Expanding Indo-Pacific and Trade Cooperation
Prime Minister Carney also met with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. Their discussion focused on strengthening collaboration between NATO and Indo-Pacific partners to address shared geopolitical challenges.
Carney presented Canada’s defence plans and its new procurement strategy, while Luxon shared updates from New Zealand’s Defence Capability Plan. The two leaders also discussed growing trade and commercial ties under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
Housing affordability and internal trade reform were also on the agenda, with Carney outlining domestic efforts to improve economic mobility and affordability for Canadians.
All meetings concluded with commitments to remain in close contact and strengthen diplomatic and economic engagement between Canada and its partners across Europe and the Indo-Pacific.
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