21.05.2026, Washington.
The decision to abruptly pause the Permanent Joint Board on Defense is another gesture and means of pressure, but strategically the two countries remain too deeply interconnected in the defense sphere, Rossa Primavera News Agency‘s North America Desk notes.
The announcement that the Pentagon was “pausing” its participation in this US-Canadian body, created in 1940, was made by US Undersecretary of War Elbridge Colby. Explaining the decision, he wrote in a series of posts on the social network X, “Only by investing in our own defense capabilities will Americans and Canadians be safe, secure, and prosperous. Unfortunately, Canada has failed to make credible progress on its defense commitments.”
Thus, the formal reason for refusing to hold regular meetings — the Permanent Joint Board on Defense is supposed to convene at least once a year — was insufficient defense and military spending. However, the gesture is largely symbolic, since the last report on a meeting of the board, as CBC notes, dates back to November 2024.
It is noteworthy that the statement was made just after Canada had effectively reached the required level of military spending. According to agreements with the United States, NATO members (and Canada belongs to the alliance) are expected over the next decade to increase defense expenditures to 5% of GDP. Last year Canada increased its military budget to C$9.3 billion, thereby reaching the required threshold.
However, Ottawa plans to invest not all money in US weapons, on which it remains heavily dependent. For example, while preparing to modernize its submarine fleet, Canadian authorities considered Germany and South Korea as potential suppliers of six submarines to replace its aging US ones.
Ottawa is also considering the purchase of Turkish drones and is examining European weapons systems.
Nevertheless, dependence on the United States remains too great, and Canada is unlikely to be able to abandon US weapons. Recently, Ottawa paid for the delivery of an additional batch of fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets. In other military sectors as well — both ground and naval — the Canadian armed forces continue purchasing US weapons, including new systems.
It is also important that the missile-defense umbrella is effectively shared by the two countries, benefiting both sides. Canada receives advanced missile-defense capabilities, while the United States gains locations for deploying early-warning radar systems.
Thus, the Pentagon leadership’s gesture is unlikely to be considered fatal for US-Canadian military cooperation. It demonstrates that disagreements between the countries, which intensified after Trump’s return to the White House, continue. However, the gesture is largely symbolic, as it is unlikely to lead to serious changes in the military-economic sphere.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
