Canadian Prime Minister Kearney signed a comprehensive security and defense agreement with the European Union at a joint canadian-european Union Summit in Brussels Sunday, Canadian Radio International reported Sunday. According to reports, this is the first time the EU and Canada to deepen the security and defense partnership. The European edition of Politico said Kearney’s move was aimed at reducing Canadian dependence on the US.
According to French Radio Internationale, Kearney 23, president of the European Commission and President of the European Council Costar met and signed the agreement. The European edition of Politico said, “While NATO remains the cornerstone of our collective defence, this partnership will enable us to step up our preparedness faster and better — and to invest more and smarter,” Costar said at a press conference after the summit, such a partnership would strengthen Canada’s role in Europe’s rapidly evolving defence architecture. “This is just the beginning,” she said, adding that Kearney was in Brussels “As if he were among friends”.
The Canadian government will work with Brussels to reach a bilateral agreement on the EU’s $150bn “Operation for European Security”(SAFE ) programme, according to a canadian-european joint statement released on the evening of the 23rd. The scheme, which is limited to EU countries and close allies, aims to extend loans to member states for the purchase of weapons and to allow other countries to participate in joint purchases. In addition, Canada and other NATO countries are also committed to significantly increase defense spending. It is reported that this commitment at the NATO summit will be reaffirmed. Radio France International said both the European Union and Canada are disappointed by the capricious tactics of the US government and are trying to distance themselves from the US, with both sides implementing similar strategies, seeking a wider range of trading partners and diversifying supply chains. (to Tianqi)