Could Canada become the first 'associate member' of the EU?

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen has suggested that Canada could become the first associate member of the European Union. She made this proposal to Canadian leader Justin Trudeau, according to The Local France, The Local Sweden, The Local Germany, and The Local Spain, although Malay Mail reports it was made to Mark Carney.

Von der Leyen pitched closer cooperation on tech, defence, and energy. She told the European Parliament in Strasbourg that, as democracies face a fracture in the international rules-based system, Brussels and Ottawa needed to pull closer together.

The proposal was made in a speech to the European Parliament, where Carney received a standing ovation. The move is seen as an effort to strengthen ties between the EU and Canada, particularly in light of their shared desire to pivot away from a hostile United States under President Donald Trump, as reported by Malay Mail.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Local France, The Local Sweden, The Local Germany, The Local Spain, Malay Mail — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.