Four countries promise to join Canadian-led battle group

OTTAWA – Canadian troops will not face Russia alone when they begin to arrive in Latvia early next year. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says Albania, Italy, Poland and Slovenia have each promised to contribute soldiers and equipment to a battle group that Canada is organizing for NATO. The Liberal government said in July that Canada would lead one of four multinational NATO forces in Eastern Europe, where the military alliance has been beefing up its presence in response to recent Russian actions.