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Macron and Carney announce closer France-Canada ties amid Trump tensions
The Guardian • • general
Key Points:
- French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney pledged closer cooperation to address geopolitical tensions, climate change, and democratic erosion during their visit to Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, a French territory near Canada.
- The visit, the first by a French president since 2014 and a Canadian prime minister, carried symbolic weight following a controversial social media post by former US President Donald Trump showing the US flag covering North America, including French territories.
- Macron emphasized shared values such as democracy, rule of law, and respect for international law, and highlighted cooperation in areas like space, climate, energy, and science-based decision-making.
- France seeks to expand bilateral energy ties, encouraging Canada to increase liquefied natural gas exports to Europe to reduce reliance on other markets amid rising fuel prices.
- The leaders also discussed Canada's potential associate membership in the EU, which France supports, despite opposition from the US and ongoing ratification challenges within EU member states.
