RIGA -- Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada will keep troops in Latvia through to 2029, as part of a mission to deter Russian aggression in Europe.
Carney is in Riga where he is meeting with Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina.
Carney's office says there are now 2,000 Canadian Armed Forces troops in Latvia as part of Operation Reassurance, which is Canada's largest overseas mission.
Canadian troops have been there since 2017 to strengthen the defence of Europe's eastern flank and to deter Russian from invading Baltic countries.
The current authority for the mission ends in March 2026, but Carney says he plans to extend that by another three years.
He says lasting peace in Europe requires allies to "deter and fortify" - words he used Sunday during a surprise visit to Ukraine to mark the country's Independence Day.
More coming.