Canada, EU Sign Strategic Security Defence Pact

Canada and the European Union have signed a landmark Security and Defence Partnership, marking a strategic shift for Canada amid concerns about declining U.S. leadership under President Trump. The agreement enables deeper Canadian participation in European defense procurement and industry, including access to the EU's €150 billion SAFE fund. It also establishes cooperation on cyber, maritime, and space security, and includes initiatives for diversifying energy supply chains, securing critical minerals, and coordinating on industrial policy and clean energy. The partnership aims to strengthen transatlantic security, support Ukraine and Moldova against Russian aggression, and deepen trade relations. Prime Minister Mark Carney has committed to increasing Canada’s defense spending, as NATO debates a higher spending target of five percent of GDP. Leaders have described the pact as a powerful political statement in defense of the rules-based international order.