EU and Canada to seal broader, deeper alliance in Trump's long shadow

The EU and Canada want to bring their relationship to the highest level possible as they face a world of growing rivalries, Chief Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday, ahead of a meeting with Canadian leader Mark Carney. The two-day summit is expected to launch an alliance for the future, a framework for closer cooperation on trade, defence, critical minerals, technology and research. First, it means close alignment on policies. We can work on everything, from AI and climate to energy and security, you just name it. Second, it means close alignment on governance. It means more work shared by the European Commission and the Canadian government, for example. The cooperation could also entail parliament to parliament, between our two parliaments, and court to court. And third, this means close alignment on each other's programs. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has suggested Canada's proposed arrangement with the EU could be a hostile act and threatened tariffs on Europe if he considered the move unfriendly. The US President's punishing tariffs, threat of annexation and affinity for Russia have left Europeans battered and increasingly distrustful of any policy with Washington's mark, pushing Canada and the EU to become closer than ever.