Macron and Carney pledge closer France-Canada ties in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon

French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney pledged to strengthen ties between their nations during a meeting in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, a French territory off Canada's Atlantic coast, amid rising geopolitical tensions and a trade war between Ottawa and Washington. The visit, the first by a French president since 2014 and the first by a Canadian prime minister, came weeks after US President Donald Trump posted an image depicting the islands and Canada under the US flag. The leaders agreed to deepen cooperation in sectors including space, climate, and energy, with Macron supporting Canadian liquefied natural gas exports to Europe. Macron dismissed Trump's social media post, saying he did not need to reaffirm French sovereignty over the territories daily. The talks also addressed Canada's potential associate membership in the EU, which France supports, though hurdles remain as several member states, including France, have not ratified the existing EU-Canada trade agreement.