MONTREAL (Azat TV) – Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pushed Thursday in Montreal to make Canada the European Union’s first “associate member,” forging a united front against economic coercion and trade threats from the United States under President Donald Trump. Speaking at a joint appearance reported by KTVN, the leaders unveiled the framework for a broader “Alliance for the Future” centered on critical minerals, defense procurement, and artificial intelligence.
The push for closer ties comes as Ottawa seeks to diversify its economic partnerships while managing heavy reliance on the U.S. market, which accounted for 71.7% of Canada’s merchandise exports in 2025. Carney stated that the new alliance is designed to help Canada withstand economic shocks and protect its sovereignty against foreign pressure, noting that middle powers must unite when global economic integration is weaponized.
The Strategic Alliance and Membership Debate
Von der Leyen championed the concept of an “association without accession,” acknowledging that geography prevents Canada from becoming a full member of the bloc while arguing the arrangement would bring relations to an unprecedented level. However, the proposal faces internal resistance. Anand Sundar, a special adviser at the European Council on Foreign Relations, told KTVN that member states such as France and Germany have expressed dissatisfaction with the “associate member” terminology.
Carney downplayed the labels, remarking that the initiative is “not a marketing exercise” and that any enhanced partnership would ultimately require approval by the Canadian Parliament. Carney has explicitly ruled out formally joining the European Union.
Technology, Defense, and Washington’s Reaction
The summit yielded concrete technological and industrial commitments. Carney announced that Canada will invest up to C$1.6 billion ($1.1 billion) in artificial intelligence company Cohere, which is planning a merger with Germany’s Aleph Alpha. In return, Cohere is slated to invest at least C$1.7 billion ($1.2 billion) in domestic computing infrastructure. Furthermore, Canada and the EU are finalizing an agreement to grant Canadian startups and researchers access to Europe’s network of 12 supercomputers.
In defense, Canada remains the sole non-European participant in the EU’s 150-billion-euro ($167-billion) SAFE military procurement program. Nevertheless, policy experts caution that implementation will be complex. Tobias Gehrke, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, told KTVN that while the political window is open, there are no instant shortcuts to reducing reliance on the U.S. economy, especially given potential retaliation from Washington.
President Trump has previously characterized potential EU arrangements with Canada as an unfriendly act and warned of possible European tariffs. Meanwhile, a senior Canadian government official emphasized that the diplomatic engagement is rooted in longstanding shared interests rather than hostility toward the United States.