In today’s Expert Series episode, Toms Rostoks, Director of the Centre for Security and Strategic Research at the National Defence Academy of Latvia, discusses Latvia’s evolving approach to national defence in the face of Russian aggression.

The 2014 Russian invasion of Crimea was a turning point for Latvia’s national defence strategy. With the understanding that Russian aggression towards Europe would only continue to intensify in the years to come, Latvia adopted a total defence strategy, integrating military and civilian preparedness with increasing defence spending for a whole-of-society approach. Rostoks explores how this model, developed on NATO’s most vulnerable front, is shaping the Baltic region’s deterrence posture—and why other NATO members, including Canada, must take note.

The episode also explores how Latvian and Baltic strategies intersect with NATO’s forward presence, the role of U.S. and European allies, and the challenges of sustaining public support in the face of prolonged tension. As Latvia seeks to deepen Baltic ties with other NATO allies, today’s conversation offers concrete insights into how Canada can assist and support their fight on NATO’s frontline.

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The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

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In this Expert Series episode, we meet with a panel of experts to discuss the recent Liberal Party initiative aimed at securing Canadian sovereignty.

This update focuses on four key pillars: overhauling defence procurement; creating a Bureau of Research, Engineering, and Advanced Leadership in Science; diversifying trade relationships; and boosting domestic defence production. Our panelists, which include Dr. Justin Massie, Colonel (Ret’d) Charles Davies, and Gordon Venner, analyzed the announcement in depth, highlighting the need for clarification on plan details and the potential conflicts it raises between buying Canadian and streamlining procurement.

Our panel also compared the Liberal and Conservative Party's defence pledges, noting the importance of a comprehensive defence strategy in the face of Canada’s multilateral relationship issues, and the potential benefits of collaborating with European allies.

Don’t miss an episode – subscribe to the CDA Institute newsletter today:
https://bit.ly/40ykggq

The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

Learn more: CDA Institute