Canada announced on Monday that it will double the number of NATO-backed troops in Latvia, with an additional 1,200 Canadian troops to be deployed in the tiny Baltic state to prevent any attempts at aggression from Russia, Reuters reported.

NATO created multinational battlegroups of about 1,000 troops in each of the 3 Baltic states after Moscow’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the outbreak of separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine.

The battlegroups are set to act as a rapid intervention element pending the arrival of a larger alliance contingent in the event of a conflict.

After the start of the war in Ukraine last year, combat groups were strengthened, but the Baltic countries demanded an even greater consolidation of them, up to 3-5 thousand soldiers – the size of a NATO brigade.

In June, Germany announced it would deploy 4,000 troops to neighboring Lithuania, while Estonian military officials said their military needs were met by British combat forces stationed outside the country but able to deploy to the Baltic state within days in a crisis.

“We will more than double our presence (…) to serve and protect democracy and the rule of law [din Estonia]Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the announcement on Monday at a press conference he held together with his Latvian counterpart, Kristianis Karins, at the Adaži military base in Latvia.

“Our presence in Latvia will be strengthened and become a brigade,” said Trudeau, who is in the country on an official visit ahead of a NATO summit that begins in Vilnius on Tuesday.

Canada took over the defense of Latvia in the face of Russian aggression

The 3 Baltic countries significantly increased their military spending after the Russian aggression against Ukraine in 2014, but their GDP is small and their armed forces are small.

Canada commands the NATO battle group in Latvia, which currently has 1,700 troops from 10 member nations of the alliance. This is Canada’s largest international military commitment.

Justin Trudeau also said on Monday that the additional Canadian troops to be stationed in Latvia will “strengthen and expand our land, sea and air capabilities and support our special operations in Central and Eastern Europe.”

He added that he expects other NATO countries that have troops in Latvia to increase their forces there.

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