Carney sets mid-2027 target for Canada-EU 'associate membership' and says he can wait out Trump's trade war

Canada and the EU launched their "Alliance for the Future" at a two-day Montreal summit on Friday, with Carney now declaring he can outlast Trump in any prolonged trade standoff while pledging to conclude negotiations on associate membership by June 2027 — a timeline built around a European Council meeting he plans to attend. Canadian and EU ministers will meet in March to advance talks before the June summit concludes the deal.

The word "associate member" was so divisive among EU states — Germany among the objectors — that it was stripped from the final joint declaration entirely.

Canada also agreed at the summit to contribute to a €90bn support loan for Ukraine, and both sides concluded a new digital trade agreement.

Trump called the idea of Canada joining the EU "laughable" last month, warning he would impose "very heavy tariffs" on Europe if he deemed the move hostile.