Canada reaches out to Europe amid US trade threats

This week, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney made his first foreign visit to Europe. In the face of trade tensions with the United States, he stressed the need to strengthen ties with Europe. Instead of going to Washington, Carney chose London and Paris to meet with British and French leaders. The decision came as Donald Trump escalated a tit-for-tat tariff dispute with Canada and Europe.

Developing partnerships with reliable allies is particularly important to Carney, a former governor of the Bank of England (BOE). Speaking from Paris, the official described Canada as "the most European country outside of Europe." The North American nation's adherence to international trade rules has also been cited by French President Emmanuel Macron as a way to protect its interests.

During his visit to Britain, Carney met with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and King Charles. In the wake of the US trade standoff, they discussed cementing economic and political relations between Canada and its European allies, as reported by Reuters.