Canada is withholding the official roster of founding nations for its proposed global defence bank until it secures broader international support for startup capital, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said.
The delay signals that Ottawa is prioritizing financial commitment over symbolic membership as it prepares to unveil the initiative at the NATO leaders' summit in Turkey next week.
Anand indicated that the project's fate remains in the balance without deeper buy-in from other countries.
The minister emphasized that the bank cannot proceed effectively unless member states are willing to provide the necessary initial funding, rather than merely endorsing the concept.
This stance suggests a more rigorous vetting process for the approximately 10 founding nations previously expected to be announced.
The global defence bank was initially framed as a cornerstone of Canada's defence industrial strategy, with Prime Minister Mark Carney announcing that Canada would serve as the headquarters and Luxembourg as the European base.