Canada turns to Europe as Trump threatens annexation

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is pursuing deeper ties with the European Union as a strategic counter to U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war and annexation threats, according to the Wall Street Journal. Ottawa is exploring integration models short of full EU membership. Carney has spent months consulting European leaders on elevating Canada-EU relations, with working groups examining informal market integration in energy, AI, critical minerals, and security. The proposal includes a new "partner member" status, potentially allowing Canadians to live and work in Europe without visas. The initiative follows escalating tensions, including U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods and Trump's executive order renaming Lake Ontario to "Lake America." However, some European officials privately question whether Canada is using Europe as leverage in negotiations with Washington.