EU Eyes ‘Associate Membership’ for Canada

The EU said Wednesday it’s exploring a way for Canada to become the bloc’s first “associate member.” Speaking in Strasbourg for her annual State of the European Union address to the European ​Parliament, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hinted at the proposal, despite no mechanisms currently existing for such arrangements.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. According to Reuters, von der Leyen attributed the idea to a “fracture in the international rules-based system” without detailing specifics. “Partnerships are a strategic choice for Europe. ⁠But they also respond to the fracture in the international rules-based system,” she said. “We see the world with the same eyes: from AI to climate change, from the Arctic to geopolitics. And we have stood together: on Ukraine, on defense, on raw materials and ​on supply chains,” she added. “But above all… Europe and Canada believe in democracy.” While remaining vague about what rights Canada might have as an “associate member,” Von der Leyen suggested the alliance centers on joint development and manufacturing. “We will work on intelligent manufacturing. We will create a tech alliance. We will integrate defense industrial bases. We will make ⁠the ​Arctic a flagship joint project,” she said. Addressing Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, whom she invited to the meeting, von der Leyen said she plans to work with him to realize the plan. Other Topics of Interest Kallas Calls for Visa Ban on Russia’s Former Combatants Kallas says Russia is testing Europe through hybrid attacks as the EU prepares tougher sanctions and measures against Moscow’s shadow fleet. “I said we ​must urgently reimagine our ​partnerships. So, I ⁠would like to work with you on opening the door for Canada to be the first associate member of the EU Carney previously said Ottawa seeks a “unique alliance” with the EU but not membership. He is set to make his own speech in Strasbourg later on Wednesday. The remarks follow a recent rift between Canada and the US, where earlier inflammatory remarks by US President Donald Trump and his top officials about Canadian sovereignty evolved into actual tariffs between the two neighboring allies. However, von der Leyen clarified that the alliance is “not against anyone else.” Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.