Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said his government is committed to joining a large-scale European defense rearmament plan by July 1.
Points of attention
- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is committed to joining the EU's defense rearmament plan by July 1 to reduce Canada's dependence on the United States for defense.
- Canada is seeking to join the European Union's SAFE instrument, a €150 billion initiative aimed at strengthening Europe's defense capabilities and providing support to Ukraine.
- The European Commission's defense plan ReArm Europe/Readiness 2030, including initiatives like SAFE, could have a total volume of up to 800 billion euros to enhance European defense industry production capacity.
Canada wants to reduce its dependence on the US for defense
Carney said this on the air of the "Power and Politics" program on the CBC television channel, commenting on the government's speech.
Carney noted that we are talking about the ReArm Europe initiative, which envisages EU countries' defense spending over the next five years.
According to the Prime Minister, Canada is already negotiating with the European Union to join the plan and expects concrete results by Canada Day, July 1.
Seventy-five cents out of every dollar of defense capital spending goes to the United States. That's absurd.
Mark Carney
Prime Minister of Canada
Following Carney's remarks, US President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that his administration was in talks with Canada about joining the US's Golden Dome missile defence system, which he said would cost Canada $61 billion if it remained an independent country.
But it will cost ZERO DOLLARS if Canada becomes our beloved 51st state. They are considering this offer!
Mark Carney, after meeting with Trump in the Oval Office, denied the possibility of joining the US, stating that Canada would remain an independent state.
On May 27, the European Union (EU) approved the launch of the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument worth €150 billion for joint defense procurement and support to Ukraine.
The main goal is to strengthen Europe's defense capabilities, close critical capability gaps, and increase the production capacity of the European defense industry.
SAFE is the first part of the European Commission's ReArm Europe/Readiness 2030 defence plan, which could cost more than €800 billion. SAFE is scheduled to be launched on 29 May 2025, the day after the regulation is published in the Official Journal of the EU.
