Carney and Macron deepen Canada-France ties as Ottawa pivots to Europe

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed Sunday to deepen a strategic partnership in space, defense, energy, and business, marking Canada's accelerating shift toward Europe amid deteriorating relations with the United States. The leaders tasked their space agencies and defense ministries to develop shared infrastructure, including launch systems and ground facilities, and expanded cooperation in energy, telecommunications, and climate resilience. Carney said deeper European ties would reduce Canada's vulnerability to economic coercion, while Macron called the visit a "historic moment" and backed Canada's future EU involvement. The move follows U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs, demands for concessions, and repeated talk of making Canada the 51st state. Macron also sought agreements to secure liquefied natural gas from Canada for Europe's Atlantic coast, as the Iran war disrupts global energy markets.