EU and Canada forge closer ties with new defence and trade partnership

The European Union and Canada agreed on a new security and defense partnership on Monday and launched talks on a digital trade deal.

The summit in Ottawa came amid global uncertainty over Washington's policies, falling between last week's G7 meeting and this week's NATO summit.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said that with the world order under threat, Canada now looks first to the European Union.

European Council President Antonio Costa called it a powerful political statement, taking the partnership to a new level.

The new security deal enables joint work on crisis management and cyber threats, marking a first step for Canada to access the EU's substantial defence procurement fund.

The two sides also launched formal talks on a digital trade agreement to facilitate data flows and cooperate on artificial intelligence.

The move signals a significant deepening of ties as both Brussels and Ottawa seek reliable partners in an uncertain world.