Trump annexation talk prompted defence talks with Europe, Joly says

OTTAWA — Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says Canada is in the “advanced” stages of negotiations with Europe on joining its new defence partnership — prompted in large part by growing concern about Russia’s war in Ukraine and U.S. President Donald Trump’s ongoing talk of annexing Canada.

In an interview with The Canadian Press, Joly said Canada began talking to Europe about expanding security and defence ties almost immediately after Trump’s “51st state” rhetoric began.

“Our goal is to make sure ultimately that we’re closer to Europe than ever,” Joly added.

Europe is moving swiftly to amp up its own military spending and capabilities to defend itself against the threat of further Russian aggression in Europe. It officially announced its ReArm Europe plan on March 4.

Joly suggested Wednesday that Canada has been part of that planning almost from the start.

“The negotiations on the defence partnership started a couple of weeks ago, as of course Europe was working on this, but also at the same time the question of Ukraine became even more sensitive, and the threat of Russia towards Europe,” Joly said.

“And meanwhile, while President Trump started his rhetoric on annexing Canada, within three weeks we were in conversations with Europe and in mid-February I went to Europe to talk to my counterparts about it.”

Before he left office last week, former prime minister Justin Trudeau raised Canada-Europe defence ties in his conversations with multiple European leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Prime Minister Mark Carney said defence was a key part of his conversations with both French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer when he visited Paris and London on Monday.

“We are actively exploring,” Carney said at a news conference in London following those meetings. “And full disclosure, this is one of the discussions I had both in Paris and in the U.K., the potential participation in that.”

Europe’s defence plan began in earnest in February after the Trump administration shocked NATO allies by resuming diplomacy with Russian President Vladimir Putin and held peace talks with Russian officials that excluded Ukraine.

As those talks continued, Macron held an emergency meeting in mid-February, which Trudeau attended virtually. Trudeau also flew to London at the last minute on March 1 to attend a Ukraine security summit hosted by Starmer.

Carney was sworn in as prime minister on March 6. On the same day, he had a conversation with Defence Minister Bill Blair about whether Canada should refocus its spending away from the U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets and toward European planes.

At his London press conference, Carney said the ReArm Europe plan is “of interest” to Canada because it could create new supply chains that would see Canadian companies participate in developing defence systems.

On Wednesday, Joly told The Canadian Press that partnering with Europe is critical for both jobs and security.

“We need to diversify our partnerships,” she said. “We need new partnerships. We have an over-reliance on American procurement, particularly in the defence sector.”

Asked if this sends a signal that Canada sees Europe as a stronger military ally than the U.S., Joly said, “I think we need to be able to have options.”

“The rhetoric coming out of the White House is not only concerning, but it is also, you know, a threat to our sovereignty,” she said.

Joly said Canada needs to put maximum pressure on the Trump administration while finding “off-ramps” to end the trade war.

“I think it is normal for Canada to be able to have access to different procurements in the procurement processes, and particularly in Europe, as there’s more protectionism in the world,” she said. “I think it’s just being pragmatic and … forward-looking.”

During a press conference about the new White Paper for European Defence this week, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said “peace brings prosperity and stability.”

“We will keep working with others who share this view from the U.K. — where I was yesterday — to Australia, Canada and Japan,” Kallas said. “This is also why our partners should be part of our cooperative defence projects and initiatives too, where it makes sense for everybody’s interests.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 19, 2025.

Catherine Morrison and Mia Rabson, The Canadian Press