The Bottlenecks of German-Canadian Dialogue in the Sphere of Security and Defence: Features and Reasons

Germany and Canada are member states of NATO and the G7, but bilateral interstate cooperation in the sphere of security and defence, in terms of volume and quality, can hardly be called advanced. It is particularly remarkable, taking to account the contribution of each country to efforts to Westernize the newly emerging world order. The article explores the bottlenecks of the dialogue in political and military fields, as its determinants. The methods of comparative and dialectical analyses are used. At the end of the 2010s – the first half of the 2020s, there have been at least three “windows of opportunity” for the improving interstate relations. The first was connected with each side's concern about the U.S. foreign policy under Donald Trump (2017–2021). The second “window of opportunity” was caused by the growing involvement of NATO member states in “deterring” Russia and supporting Ukraine. The third was connected with Germany`s interest in strategically establishing a presence in the Arctic. However, none of those potential opportunities were realized. The article reveals the reasons specific to each case and the general determinant, which is the military-strategic peculiarity of Canada compared to European continental NATO member states. The importance of this factor is illustrated through the example of Canadian troops` involvement in the NATO frontier zone in the 1980s and since the mid 2010-s. The article concludes with perspectives of the German-Canadian dialogue.

Germany, foreign policy, Justion Trudeau, USA, Donald Trump, NATO, Ukraine, confrontation, military assistance, the Arctic