Amid US Chill, EU Wants Canada to Come a Little Closer

Canada may be an ocean away, but Europe is wondering if it should act more like the 28th member. The European Union on Wednesday floated making Canada its first-ever "associate member," an undefined status meant to formalize a tightening relationship as both sides contend with fraying ties to the United States and rising pressure from China and Russia, reports the New York Times. In a speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, seated beside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, said, "We must urgently reimagine our partnerships," then invited Canada to "open the door" to associate membership. Per the AP, "Carney nodded, rose from his seat, embraced von der Leyen and kissed her on both cheeks as lawmakers gave a standing ovation." Carney will speak on Thursday.

Details are thin and any deal is far from guaranteed, with some EU countries wary of granting big perks to nonmembers. But Ottawa and Brussels are already deepening work on trade, tech regulation, critical minerals, and defense, including talks on a new European security structure that would involve Canada, Britain, Norway, and Ukraine. "China, Russia and the US have turned their backs on international law," said Irish European Parliament member Barry Andrews after von der Leyen's speech. "We need new allies." The move comes as Trump's trade war with Canada escalates and NATO support from Washington wobbles, prompting both Canada and Europe to look for steadier partners—and, as Carney has argued, for "middle powers" to sit at the table rather than "on the menu."