Pistorius will urge Canada to sign a contract for the construction of 12 submarines
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius began a five-day official visit to Canada on Tuesday.
This was reported by DW.
The main goal of the trip is to promote German defense technologies and persuade Ottawa to sign a large-scale contract for the construction of new submarines.
In addition, European leaders are seeking to strengthen military cooperation with Canada due to the complex geopolitical situation and the shift in U.S. policy.
The key task for the head of the German Defense Ministry is to negotiate the purchase of 12 submarines for Canada.
Germany is pushing for the well-known German shipbuilding company TKMS (ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems) to win this major contract.
Official Berlin views Ottawa as a strategic partner for long-term military-technical cooperation and strengthening security in the region.
A number of EU countries, particularly Germany, are increasingly seeking to establish defense cooperation with Canada amid deteriorating relations with the United States under President Donald Trump.
This is precisely why the visit to Canada took on special significance for the German side. The rapprochement between Ottawa and European capitals reflects a desire to find alternative ways to strengthen collective security.
At the same time, the German defense minister’s schedule underwent significant changes immediately before the start of his U.S. tour.
The day before, Pistorius announced that he was canceling his planned trip to Washington, which was scheduled to follow his visit to Canada.
This move came as a surprise to many analysts who had been expecting important bilateral talks.
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