Bratislava/Ottawa, April 17, 2026 – Slovakia and Canada have reaffirmed their interest in strengthening bilateral relations through concrete projects, particularly in the areas of energy, trade, and the defense industry. This was stated by State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, Marek Eštok, who held bilateral political consultations in Ottawa with representatives of the Canadian government on April 14–15, 2026. 14. dasd
“Canada is a close and like-minded partner for us, connected not only by long-standing cooperation in international organizations but also by a strong expatriate community. We want to translate this potential into concrete projects in energy and the defense industry, with the aim of bringing stability and economic benefits to both countries,” said State Secretary M. Eštok.
The ambition to further develop bilateral cooperation and strengthen political dialogue was confirmed during consultations between State Secretary Marek Eštok and the Prime Minister of Canada’s Foreign and Defence Policy Advisor, David Angell, as well as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Arun Thangaraj. On this occasion, the State Secretary welcomed the opening of Canada’s first fully-fledged diplomatic mission in Bratislava as a significant step toward deepening Slovak-Canadian relations.
M. Eštok also highlighted the strong alliance within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the joint deployment in the NATO multinational brigade in Latvia, where Slovak and Canadian soldiers serve side by side, as an important pillar of the relationship.
“In the context of a deteriorating global security situation, strengthening transatlantic ties and consistently fulfilling commitments within the Alliance are key to ensuring stability and security,” emphasized the State Secretary of the Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The partners also discussed current foreign policy issues, including developments in Ukraine and the Middle East. They agreed on the need to respect international law, as well as the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, and underscored the importance of diplomatic solutions to conflicts in today’s unstable geopolitical environment.
Economic matters were addressed during meetings with Glenn Purves, Assistant Deputy Minister for International Trade; Drew Leyburne, Assistant Deputy Minister for Natural Resources; and Ahmed Hussen, Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development of the House of Commons of Canada. The discussions focused on the organization of business missions and on deepening trade and investment cooperation under the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the European Union and Canada.
“Slovakia sees Canada as an important partner in diversifying energy sources and reducing strategic dependencies,” confirmed State Secretary Marek Eštok, adding that bilateral trade between Slovakia and Canada exceeded €500 million in 2024.
Both sides identified key areas of economic cooperation, particularly in nuclear energy—specifically in the development of small modular reactors—as well as in the defense industry and innovative high value-added sectors.
As part of his working visit to Canada, State Secretary Marek Eštok also inaugurated the Honorary Consulate of the Slovak Republic in Montreal, where on Monday, April 13, 2026, he presented the consular commission to the new Honorary Consul of the Slovak Republic, Daniela Arendášová.
Source: Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic
