"Canada and Europe Joining Hands?!" Trump Reacts with Fury as Canadian PM Carney Smiles Widely Despite Insults... "Cut Trade and Hit with Tariffs!" Amid Moves to Keep U.S. in Check (TRUMP NOW)

The head of the European Union (EU) has proposed offering Canada the status of the EU's first associate member.

During her annual State of the Union address at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, on the 16th local time, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen turned to "guest of honor" Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and stated, "I want us to open the door together so that Canada can become the EU's very first associate member," expressing her determination to elevate relations with Canada to the highest possible level.

President von der Leyen's proposal to Canada comes as Canada and Europe, sharing anxieties over U.S. President Donald Trump's hostile tariff policies and security policies centered on American national interests, seek to strengthen cooperation in areas such as economy and security.

Following the launch of the second Trump administration, Europe has been seeking to diversify its cooperative relations with like-minded countries like Canada to reduce its security and trade dependence on the United States, which has been pressuring Europe to increase defense spending and openly showing intentions to annex Greenland, thereby creating internal divisions within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Prime Minister Carney, who has emphasized the need for a "middle-power alliance" to counter the hegemony competition between major powers since the very beginning of the second Trump administration, has also repeatedly declared the need to forge a "special alliance" with the EU. This comes as his ties with the U.S. have sharply soured amid escalating tariff wars between the two sides, following President Trump's repeated threatening remarks about "incorporating Canada as the 51st U.S. state."

In response to President von der Leyen's proposal that day, members of the European Parliament and European Commission officials filling the plenary chamber cheered with a standing ovation, and Prime Minister Carney responded by nodding with a smile.

After visiting the European Parliament as an invited guest that day to observe President von der Leyen's annual address, Prime Minister Carney is scheduled to deliver a speech before the European Parliament at the same venue on the 17th.

Foreign media noted that Prime Minister Carney is the first foreign leader in history to be invited to the EU chief's annual address.

In her annual address that day, President von der Leyen repeatedly emphasized that in an increasingly unstable world, Europe must secure its sovereignty and independence in economic, technological, and military aspects.

Meanwhile, regarding these developments, U.S. President Trump warned that such actions could be regarded as a "hostile" act, cautioning the EU of the possibility of additional tariffs.

President Trump made strong remarks, saying, "If they do that, and I consider it a hostile act, we will impose very high tariffs or cut off trade with Europe on various items."

He went on to reiterate, "If they do it in good faith, that's fine, but if it's with bad intentions, we will impose very high tariffs on Europe, and that is entirely possible."

In addition, targeting Canada, which had previously clashed with the U.S. over trade, he criticized it as having been a "terrible trade partner."

(Produced by Jin Sang-myeong | Video edited by Kim Hye-ju | Production: Digital News Department)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.