August 31, 2026 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada
The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced that she will travel to Dublin, Ireland, to participate in the informal meeting of European Union foreign affairs ministers (Gymnich) in Wicklow, Ireland, from September 1 to 2, 2026. This will be the first time a Canadian minister of foreign affairs has participated in a Gymnich meeting.
The informal meeting will be co-hosted by Helen McEntee Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Minister for Defence, and Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission. It will provide an opportunity for ministers to exchange views on current geopolitical developments and shared priorities, including developments in the Middle East and support for Ukraine.
Minister Anand’s participation will help advance implementation of the New Canada-EU Strategic Partnership of the Future and deepen cooperation with European partners on shared priorities, including economic security, trade diversification as well as defence and security. It will also help set the stage for the upcoming Canada-EU Leaders’ Summit on October 29 to 30, 2026, in Canada.
The meeting will enable ministers to further discuss Russia’s full-scale unprovoked and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine. Minister Anand will underscore Canada’s steadfast support for Ukraine and engage with partners on shared efforts related to military assistance, energy security, reconstruction and accountability.
While in Ireland, Minister Anand will have a bilateral meeting with Minister McEntee.
Quick facts
The European Union is one of Canada’s closest strategic partners and second largest trade and investment partners.
At the 20th Canada-EU Summit in Brussels on June 23, 2025, Canada and the European Union launched the New EU-Canada Strategic Partnership of the Future and signed the Canada-EU Security and Defence Partnership, which provides a framework for enhanced cooperation in areas including support for Ukraine, defence industry collaboration, military mobility, cyber security, countering hybrid threats and emerging technologies.
Minister Anand and EU High Representative Kallas co-chair the Canada-EU Joint Ministerial Committee, the principal forum for strategic foreign policy dialogue between Canada and the European Union.