Carney Seeks EU Defense Pact

Prime Minister Mark Carney is hosting European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa in Montreal for a two-day summit. The central conflict involves the designation of the new partnership. Von der Leyen proposed calling Canada an associate member of the EU last month, but several member states object to the label. Carney downplayed the dispute, stating that specific names do not matter as much as the resulting sovereignty and opportunities for Canadians.

The proposed alliance would tie Canada to the European bloc more closely than any previous arrangement with a non-European country. The framework, named the Alliance for the Future, covers trade, defense, critical minerals, technology, and research. It includes regular meetings between Canadian ministers and European commissioners and expanded student access through the Erasmus+ exchange program. Officials hope to have the broader partnership ready for endorsement in 2027.

Defense cooperation is a primary focus, with Canada as the only non-European country in the EU's 150-billion-euro SAFE procurement program. That program is valued at 167 billion dollars. Anand Sundar, a special adviser at the European Council on Foreign Relations, noted that France is pushing for strict Made in Europe rules that could limit Canadian firms. Germany favors wider participation by outside countries. Sundar added that talks on the EU's next seven-year budget could be more consequential for Canada than the Montreal announcements.

Carney has ruled out formal EU membership, which would require Canada to align its laws with the bloc's. Canadian officials said the country would not assume EU membership budget obligations, though it might fund specific programs. Carney indicated that any enhanced partnership would go to a vote in Parliament. The summit is expected to start a further year of negotiations.

U.S. President Donald Trump suggested the arrangement could be a hostile act and threatened tariffs on Europe. A senior Canadian government official told reporters on Wednesday that the relationship reflects shared interests rather than a move against the United States. In 2025, the United States accounted for 71.7% of Canada's merchandise exports. Carney aims to double exports to other markets over the next decade.

The summit schedule includes a business forum on Thursday and formal leaders' talks on Friday. On trade, the two sides operate under the CETA free trade agreement, which has been mostly in force since 2017. Some EU states have yet to ratify the full agreement. Tobias Gehrke of the European Council on Foreign Relations said the political window is wide open to take a bigger step than previously conceivable.

Ottawa is currently reviewing a plan to buy 72 more American-made F-35 jets and weighing Sweden's Saab Gripen as an alternative. Canada has committed to an initial 16 F-35s. Historian Robert Bothwell of the University of Toronto said Canada's pull toward Europe has long been driven by the idea of not being alone with the Americans.