Carney lands in Germany after signing defence, economic pact with Poland
Global News
Carney is moving to align Canada more closely with Europe as U.S. President Donald Trump upends global trade, and Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine heightens global security risks.
Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Germany late Monday, looking to boost trade and defence ties with Europe’s largest economy amid a five-day trip through the continent.
Carney is moving to align Canada more closely with Europe as U.S. President Donald Trump upends the global trading system with his tariff war, and Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine heightens global security risks.
After making a surprise visit to Kyiv for Ukrainian Independence Day on Sunday, Carney travelled to Warsaw for a meeting with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, where the two leaders struck a new strategic partnership on trade, defence and energy earlier on Monday.
In Berlin, Carney will hold meetings with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz before ending the trip by visiting Canadian troops stationed in Riga, Latvia.
Carney and Tusk said they’ve agreed to work more closely in areas such as defence, aviation, cybersecurity and clean energy. The two nations will start holding annual bilateral meetings and work to encourage industrial partnerships in those sectors.
Carney said the Polish partnership will drive European demand for Canadian exports and solidify Canada’s defence presence in Europe.
The Prime Minister’s Office announced Monday that Canada will be the lead country at a large defence industry expo in Poland next year. That news comes after Canada and Europe signed a deal in June that opens the door for Canada to participate in the Re-Arm Europe program, a massive new defence spending policy by European nations, which should allow Canadian companies to bid on contracts.
Carney touted the partnership with Poland and wider co-operation with Europe as integral for meeting Canada’s goal to quadruple the pace of defence spending by the end of the decade.
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