Warm words on Canada's EU 'associate membership' but no guarantees
There is no certainty that the idea will ever get off the ground, let alone become a blueprint for other countries, writes Katya Adler.
But in a speech on Thursday to the European Parliament, Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney said: "Canada and Europe should secure our strategic autonomy through deep cooperation in the full range of strategic capabilities."
Mark Carney was responding – extremely warmly – to an invitation by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for Canada to become the EU's first associate member.
The EU and Canada already have a far-reaching trade deal (Ceta) in place but Carney insisted additional cooperation on energy and economic security, on critical and raw materials, education, tech and AI innovation, and defence would help safeguard all countries involved.
Not so across the Atlantic. On Wednesday, Donald Trump dismissed the EU associate membership proposal out of hand, threatened to impose "very heavy tariffs" if the agreement came to fruition and warned he may view it as a "hostile act".