Trump furious: Is the EU "taking" Canada?

Trump described Brussels’ move as a possible “hostile act,” saying that the United States would impose high tariffs on Europe if it determined that the proposal was made with bad intentions, The Guardian reported.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen yesterday invited Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to make Canada the EU’s first “associate member,” proposing closer cooperation in the areas of technology, defense and energy.

Von der Leyen said that the EU and Canada should deepen their ties at a time when democratic countries are facing “a crack in the rules-based international system.”

She also identified critical minerals, batteries, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and economic security as areas for cooperation.

Canada and the EU already have a trade agreement and a number of bilateral agreements, while their relationship has grown closer following Trump’s return to the White House and the increase in U.S. tariffs.

Trump has previously also spoken about the possibility of Canada becoming the 51st U.S. state and has criticized the EU.

On Wednesday, Canada officially applied to join the Joint Expeditionary Force, a rapid-response military partnership led by the United Kingdom and involving 10 NATO members, including Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.

Carney and British Prime Minister Andy Burnham discussed deepening defense cooperation yesterday, as well as the opportunities and challenges posed by artificial intelligence.

Downing Street said they emphasized the importance of close ties with European partners, particularly in trade and defense.

The EU has so far had no category of “associate membership,” and the details of such a status, including Canada’s relationship with the single market, have yet to be defined.

Von der Leyen said the EU wants to take its relationship with Canada “to the highest possible level” and move from cooperation based primarily on trade toward a broader “alliance for the future.”