The European Commission responded on Thursday to U.S. President Donald Trump that his plan to deepen his partnership with Canada “does not go against anyone” after the U.S. president threatened the EU to impose large tariffs on Europe or even stop trading directly with the bloc.
“As our president (Ursula von der Leyen) made clear yesterday, the proposal to strengthen our partnership with Canada is not against anyone, but in favor of our common strength,” said EU trade spokesman Olof Gill, referring to the European proposal to be the first “associated member” of the European Union.
“We have a vocation to create ever closer ties with Canada,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told LCI television. “It will have to be debated, analyzed and studied before we can take a position,” he said, adding that it will be necessary to “dialogue and discuss with the Canadian authorities, with which we work extremely well,” he added.
French President Emmanuel Macron will meet with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Sunday in San Pedro y Miquelón (French overseas community), in front of the coast of Canada. Asked about Trump’s threats, Barrot defended the autonomy of European decisions. “Sovereignty is like borders, like democracy: it is not negotiable. Little matter the risks, it’s not negotiable,” he said. “It is the sovereign choice of the states that decide to unite their destinies.”
This was stated by the French Minister for European Affairs, Benjamin Haddad. It is not up to the United States, nor anyone else, to choose the political and geopolitical orientation of Europeans. On the other hand, we maintain a relationship with Canada and we have the right to seek to deepen it,” Haddad said in an interview with the Public Senat television channel.
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