Description: Ahead of the NATO Summit in the Hague, Europe’s leaders, Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney as they signed an extended defense pact which would explore new venues of cooperation between the transatlantic partners. According to the provisions in the agreement Canada would have access to the newly launched EU defense fund called Safe, where Canada would be able to participate in joint procurement defense activities alongside EU member states. Technical specifications of the agreement were yet to be hammered out alongside the existing trade agreement called the Ceta pact signed in 2016, yet to be approved by several EU member states.
Impact: The US unilateral and isolationist foreign policies have precipitated the diversification of strategic ties within and outside of the transatlantic partnerships. EU’s agreement with Canada is somewhat of a reprisal of the Union’s agreement signed with the UK as the bloc of countries finds itself diplomatically disoriented and politically disjointed facing several global crises amid an open battlefront in Ukraine. Canada’s rapprochement towards EU comes as a result of severe aggravation in bilateral ties with the US and poses a mild shift in strengthening strategic ties in face of uncertainties caused by US President Donald Trump. The agreement would set the basis for a joint front on several issues within the defense sector and facilitate a consistent pipeline for Europe’s rearmament and support towards Ukraine’s defensive efforts.