The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced that the President of Poland, Andrzej Duda, will visit Canada from April 18 to 23, 2024. President Duda will travel to Vancouver and Esquimalt, British Columbia, as well as Edmonton, Alberta.
During the visit, Prime Minister Trudeau and President Duda will hold a bilateral meeting in Esquimalt to discuss their unwavering support to Ukraine and their shared commitment to transatlantic security ahead of the NATO Leaders’ Summit in Washington in July, as well as bilateral cooperation on energy security and clean energy.
Canada and Poland share a longstanding relationship built on the Polish-Canadian community and our shared values. President Duda’s visit to Canada will be an opportunity to deepen bilateral ties and make life better for people on both sides of the Atlantic.
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“Canada and Poland are good friends and steadfast Allies. I look forward to welcoming President Duda to Canada and deepening the partnership between our two countries. Together, we will defend peace and security through NATO, remain resolute in support of Ukraine, and create good jobs and opportunity for people in Canada and in Poland.”
Quick Facts
- The Canada-Poland relationship has a strong historical foundation that is rooted in the deep personal ties to Poland maintained by the nearly one million strong Polish-Canadian community, making Canada one of the largest Polish diasporas in the world.
- This will be President Duda’s second visit to Canada, and the first visit by a Polish Head of State to Western Canada.
- Prime Minister Trudeau last met with President Duda on February 26, 2024, in Warsaw, after travelling to Kyiv to announce additional support for Ukraine, two years after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
- Canada was the first NATO country to ratify Poland’s accession to the Alliance, in 1998. Polish troops are deployed to the Canada-led NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group in Latvia.
- The Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) provides opportunities for people and businesses in Canada and Poland. In 2023, bilateral merchandise trade between our two countries increased by more than 63 per cent compared to pre-CETA.
- Poland is Canada’s largest trading partner in Central and Eastern Europe.
- Bilateral merchandise trade between Canada and Poland reached $4.1 billion in 2023. Canada exported $1.2 billion to Poland, with $3 billion in imports.