Trudeau heads to ASEAN summit and Ukraine defence meetings this week

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The ASEAN bloc and Canada have pledged to ink a trade agreement by the end of 2025, and Canada entered a strategic partnership with the 10-member organization of Southeast Asian countries last year.(Photo: The Canadian Press)

Justin Trudeau will travel to Laos later this week for the ASEAN summit, marking what his office says will be the first official visit of a Canadian prime minister to the Southeast Asian country.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations meetings will take place in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, on Thursday and Friday, after which the PMO says Trudeau will attend the 25th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at the U.S. air base in Ramstein, Germany.

The ASEAN bloc and Canada have pledged to ink a trade agreement by the end of 2025, and Canada entered a strategic partnership with the 10-member organization of Southeast Asian countries last year.

While work towards a trade agreement continues, Trudeau's office says he will also meet with partners at the ASEAN-Canada Special Summit where he will emphasize Canada’s role in addressing new and emerging challenges to peace and security, including cybercrime.

The prime minister's office says ASEAN, as a regional bloc, represents Canada's fourth-largest trading partner, with over $38.8 billion in bilateral trade in 2023.

His office says Trudeau "will work to advance shared interests and forge even stronger ties" between Canada and Laos as the two countries mark 50 years of bilateral relations this year.

"Shared challenges require shared solutions -- that's what the ASEAN Summit and the Ukraine Defense Contact Group are all about," Trudeau said in a news release about the upcoming meetings.

"Whether it's fighting climate change, creating good-paying jobs, or strengthening democracy, Canada is playing a leadership role in creating a better, safer, and fairer future for people across the world."

The Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting in Germany will take place Saturday and will be hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden.

The PMO said Trudeau will highlight the importance of addressing Ukraine's immediate economic, defence and security needs, including the provision of military equipment, security assistance and training.