Macron backs Canada as EU associate member as Carney pivots to Europe

French President Emmanuel Macron endorsed Canada becoming the European Union's first associate member during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Sunday, as the two nations moved to deepen ties in space, defense, energy, and business. The leaders met in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, a French territory off Newfoundland's coast, where they agreed to task space agencies and defense ministries with developing shared infrastructure, including launch systems and ground facilities. They also expanded cooperation in energy, telecommunications, and climate resilience, with Macron citing Canada's oil, gas, and critical mineral resources as key to securing European supplies amid the Iran war. The endorsement follows European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's proposal for Canada's associate membership, a shift accelerated by U.S. tariffs and President Trump's repeated talk of making Canada the 51st state. Carney rejected the idea that closer European ties are hostile to the U.S., saying Canada is a better partner when more independent and resilient.