Brunssum, The Netherlands – 28th April, Commander Joint Force Command Brunssum (JFCBS), General Jörg Vollmer, welcomed Vice Admiral Bob Auchterlonie, Royal Canadian Navy, Commander of the Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC), to Brunssum."I thank Admiral Auchterlonie for his visit and the confirmation that NATO's transatlantic bond is alive and well. Canada's assurance to further strengthen the Alliance and actively support her European NATO partners, particularly in these times of crisis, is very valuable and highly appreciated.
"I thank Admiral Auchterlonie for his visit and the confirmation that NATO's transatlantic bond is alive and well. Canada's assurance to further strengthen the Alliance and actively support her European NATO partners, particularly in these times of crisis, is very valuable and highly appreciated."
Admiral Auchterlonie's visit, especially in light of the ongoing crisis in Northern Europe, is a clear signal of Canada's unwavering commitment to NATO and the promotion of stability and security in Europe.
Canada, as framework nation of NATO's enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) Battlegroup in Latvia, has demonstrated it's commitment to the transatlantic bond from the outset. This deployment of presently some 700 Canadian military personnel represents Canada's largest sustained military presence in Europe since the early 1990s.
Additionally, the Canadian Armed Forces have periodically contributed an Air Task Force of fighter aircraft to NATO Air Policing duties. The next deployment of CF-18 fighters is planned in Romania starting this August.
Admiral Auchterlonie met key leaders in JFCBS, and was briefed on current NATO efforts in response to Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine. Both Commanders stressed that NATO is a defensive Alliance, but is capable, ready and willing to defend its members and their territory should the need arise.
General Vollmer resumed: "I thank Admiral Auchterlonie for his visit and the confirmation that NATO's transatlantic bond is alive and well. Canada's assurance to further strengthen the Alliance and actively support her European NATO partners, particularly in these times of crisis, is very valuable and highly appreciated."
Note on eFP:
Before Russia's illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea in 2014, NATO had no plans to deploy combat troops in the eastern part of the Alliance. At the 2016 NATO Summit in Warsaw, in response to the increased instability and insecurity along NATO's periphery, Allied Heads of State and Government agreed to enhance NATO's forward presence in the east and northeast of the Alliance. This enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) was first established in 2017, with the creation of four multinational battalion-size battlegroups in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, on a rotational basis. These battlegroups, led by the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany and the United States respectively, are robust and combat-ready forces. They demonstrate the strength of the transatlantic bond and make clear that an attack on one Ally would be considered an attack on the whole Alliance.