Trudeau to Attend ASEAN Summit and Ukraine Defense Meetings This Week
Justin Trudeau is scheduled to visit Laos later this week for the ASEAN summit, making it the first official visit by a Canadian prime minister to the Southeast Asian country.
The meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will be held in Vientiane, Laos’ capital, on Thursday and Friday. Following this, Trudeau will attend the 25th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at the U.S. air base in Ramstein, Germany.
Canada and the ASEAN bloc have committed to finalizing a trade agreement by the end of 2025. Last year, Canada established a strategic partnership with the 10-member ASEAN organization.
During the ASEAN-Canada Special Summit, Trudeau will meet with partners to address new challenges to peace and security, including cybercrime. ASEAN is Canada’s fourth-largest trading partner regionally, with bilateral trade amounting to over $38.8 billion in 2023.
As Canada and Laos celebrate 50 years of bilateral relations this year, Trudeau’s office stated that he will strive to strengthen ties and foster shared interests between the two countries.
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“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, defense, and security needs, including the provision of military equipment, security assistance, and training.
