Carney to visit Norway for NATO Cold Response exercise, meetings with Nordic leaders

Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to travel to Norway on Friday to observe a major NATO military exercise in the Arctic and hold meetings with Nordic leaders, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.

The exercise, known as Cold Response, is led by North Atlantic Treaty Organization and takes place every two years above the Arctic Circle. About 25,000 troops from 14 countries are participating in the training, which focuses on coordinated land, air and naval operations in extreme Arctic conditions.

Countries involved in the exercise include Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Sweden and Finland. Canadian Armed Forces personnel are among those taking part in the multinational drills.

While in Oslo, Carney is expected to meet with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre to discuss areas of bilateral co-operation, including trade and investment, clean energy, critical minerals and the aerospace sector.

The prime minister will also attend the Canada–Nordic Summit with leaders from Nordic countries to discuss geopolitical co-operation in the region.

Before returning to Canada, Carney is expected to stop in London to meet with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss defence issues and the ongoing war in the Middle East.