French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday backed a proposal for Canada to become the European Union’s first associate member as he and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney moved to deepen strategic ties spanning space, defense, energy, and business.
“Only a few kilometers separate Canada and France at their closest point. They also agreed to expand cooperation in energy, telecommunications, climate resilience and economic development. Macron’s endorsement comes days after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed making Canada the EU’s first associate member. Carney embraced the prospect and has argued that deeper ties with Europe would give Canada more alternatives and make it less vulnerable to economic coercion by any single country.
“We are very much in favor of that agenda of closer ties with the European Union, as an associate member of the Union, as the president said, and as a full-fledged member of the European community,” Macron said in French while standing alongside Carney. Our values are even closer,” Carney said in French. Carney said the countries will task their space agencies and defense ministries to develop and share infrastructure, including launch systems and ground-based reception facilities. Macron also said that Sunday’s talks are part of broader efforts to help France secure oil and gas supplies as the Iran war disrupts global energy markets and raises fears of higher prices for fuel and other essentials. “Danish sovereignty is being respected, international law is being respected,” he said. “Anything that helps ease tensions is a good thing.”
