Partnership with the EU: “this is only the beginning,” says Ottawa

Canada is strengthening its alliances around the world, including with the European Union, Anita Anand told Euronews, as part of a foreign policy focused on cooperation between middle powers and on reducing the country’s economic and security dependence With regard to the United States.

ADVERTISING

ADVERTISING

“Over the past year, we have signed more than 20 security, defense and economic agreements around the world, and this is just the beginning,†she said on the Euronews interview show 12 Minutes Withduring a visit to Brussels.

She assured that these relations are long-term and are not simply a response to American President Donald Trump.

“They will stand the test of time,” Anand said of Canada-EU relations.

“The reason is that it is not just a political response. This political response is based on a community of views, on common values ​​and on the conviction that territorial integrity, state sovereignty and multilateral trade are essential principles for which we will continue to mobilize collectively in the short and long term. HAS”

These statements come days after Canada made history by becoming the first non-European country to participate in a European Political Community (EPC) summit in Yerevan, Armenia.

Commenting on the gathering, Anand said: “We are very excited to continue working with Europe, with countries that share our values. HAS”

“We already see it in the SAFE agreement, in the Security and Defense Partnership, in CETA [l'accord de libre-échange entre le Canada et l'Union européenne et ses États membres]. »

In a speech at the CPE summit, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Europe would not submit to an “inward-looking and brutal world” and could instead serve as a basis for rebuilding a new international order.

Earlier this year, in Davos, he had already made headlines by speaking of a “break” in the system of global governance dominated by the United States, pleading for intermediary powers to chart a new path.

“What I think we need to look at is how we can work together pragmatically to bring economic benefits as well as defense and security benefits to our respective countries,” Anand continued. “Over the past year, we have signed more than 20 security, defense and economic agreements around the world, and that’s just the beginning. HAS”

Some are now wondering about the possibility that the rapprochement between Canada and the EU will one day lead to Canadian membership in the Union, against a backdrop of deterioration in relations with the United States.

Asked whether Ottawa is concretely considering this scenario, Anand remained evasive: “What we are doing is diversifying our commercial relations and, above all, strengthening this middle-power approach in a series of areas, whether it is security and defense, economic interests, agriculture and agri-food, artificial intelligence…

“Decisions on mediation belong to Kyiv”

Canada is also very aligned with the European Union in its response to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Anand was in Brussels on Monday May 11 to co-chair a high-level meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children.

She announced that Canada was sanctioning 23 individuals and five additional entities involved in violations targeting Ukrainian children, in addition to measures already in force.

Asked about the possibility of Canada participating in future discussions between Brussels and Moscow, Anand responded firmly that decisions on Ukraine’s future belonged to President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“We believe that any mediator chosen must be accepted by Ukraine. In particular, we want the ceasefire, to which Zelensky agreed, to be respected. But we have seen Russia violate ceasefires, violate commitments, violate international law, unjustifiably and illegally kill Ukrainians… This is unacceptable. HAS”