'Short answer is no': Prime Minister denies Canada’s plans to join EU
Photo: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney (Getty Images)
Canada does not plan to become a member of the European Union. The country is focused on close partnership and cooperation with the bloc, rather than joining the EU, states Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, according to CBC.
According to Carney, Canada plans to develop close cooperation with the European Union. However, joining the EU does not align with the country’s long-term strategic priorities, so talking about membership in the bloc is not appropriate.
"The short answer is no. That's not the intent, that's not the pathway we're on," the Prime Minister said.
Canada, the European Union, and Trump’s ambitions
Canada has indeed begun actively developing cooperation with the EU against the backdrop of deteriorating relations between Ottawa and Washington following Donald Trump’s rise to power in the United States. The latter repeatedly stated that he would like to see Canada become the "51st state of the USA."
Trump’s statements caused a significant scandal between the two countries and sparked a patriotic surge in Canada. At the same time, Ottawa, which had regarded the US as its main ally before the change of administration in Washington, began seeking more suitable partners. It found them in the European Union.
Thus, Canada and the EU signed an agreement on joint defense procurement. The deal grants Canada access to the EU’s defense procurement fund, which amounts to 150 billion euros.
Amid this rapprochement, Foreign Minister Kaja Kallas suggested that Canada could potentially become an EU member, despite its geographical distance from Europe.
