On July 10, EVC hosted a roundtable with a senior Canadian defense policy expert Christian Leuprecht. The discussion focused on Canadian defense policy regarding Russia and China as well as transatlantic cooperation between Europe and Canada amidst uncertainties surrounding the United States’ political direction. Dr Leuprecht also shared his insights on how Europe should improve its defense strategy and his views on the ongoing Russia aggression in Ukraine.
The USA-Canada-EU relations were also discussed. Leuprecht highlighted the Trump administration’s request from its European ally to take more action against Russia and take more responsibility for its own security. Canada should also be concerned about the stability in Europe and both partners need to work on improving the current Canada-EU relations, for example in the field of energy security. Leuprecht warned that Putin remains aggressive due to lack of consequences and that the conflict is global, with support for Russia from China, Iran, and North Korea. When asked about Canada-PRC relations, he noted that while Canadians see China as a threat, the economic ties make the issue complex.
Dr Christian Leuprecht is a Distinguished Professor at the Royal Military College of Canada and Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Military Journal. He is a senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, director of the Institute of Intergovernmental Relations at Queen’s University, and Adjunct Research Professor at Charles Sturt University. His recent books explore civil-military relations, financial crime, border security, and Arctic geopolitics. A past Fulbright Chair and Eisenhower Fellow, he has held visiting appointments at Yale, Johns Hopkins SAIS, and institutions across Europe and Australia. He is a member of the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars and holds advisory roles with several Canadian and international bodies.