Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed the European Parliament in Strasbourg, reaffirming Canada's commitment to strengthening ties with the EU despite US President Donald Trump's opposition to the move. The European Commission has proposed making Canada its first "associate member", a new status that would deepen integration across trade, defence, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, energy, space, research and financial services. This represents a significant strategic shift for Canada, driven by mounting pressure from American tariffs and threats against Ottawa.

Carney declared that Canada and Europe "are not fair-weather allies" and "do not pursue zero-sum deals", emphasising shared values and mutual resilience. Trump has condemned the partnership as a "hostile act" and threatened to impose "very serious tariffs" on both Canada and Europe, though Carney responded by framing the alliance as beneficial to all parties, including the United States. For generations, Canada's economy centred on US integration, but recent American tariffs and threats have prompted Ottawa to reduce dependence on Washington and forge stronger European alliances.