Carney confirmed that Trump had abandoned the idea of annexing Canada and acknowledged his influence in increasing the country's military spending.
US President Donald Trump is no longer interested in making Canada the 51st state.
This was stated by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during a conversation with CNN journalist Christiane Amanpour on the sidelines of the NATO summit taking place in the Netherlands.
Asked directly whether Trump still wants to annex Canada, Carney replied: “No, he doesn't.” According to the head of the Canadian government, the American leader “admires Canada.”
“I think it's fair to say he may have had his sights set on Canada for a while,” Carney said.
Back in May, US Ambassador Peter Hoekstra reported that Trump was “no longer talking” about Canada joining, although shortly after that Trump did write on social media that Canada could benefit from participating in the US missile defense system as the 51st state.
Carney has previously said the previous model of Canada-US partnership is over. Instead, his government is building new ties with European countries, particularly Britain and France, and deepening cooperation with Australia, including on building a radar system in the Arctic.
At the same time, Carney acknowledged Trump's role in Canada increasing its defence spending to NATO targets.
“The president is focused on changing a number of bilateral relationships. We're in NATO. He's focused on making sure that all members, including Canada… pay their fair share. I think we're doing that now,” Carney said.
The prime minister also noted that Trump has the “potential to be decisive” in the Middle East situation. According to Carney, it is now important to focus on a ceasefire, restoring humanitarian aid and freeing hostages.
“He has used his influence and the power of the United States in other situations. We just saw that in Iran. It creates an opportunity to move forward, and there is a moral imperative to move forward,” the prime minister said.
Carney also commented on Iran's response to the recent US strikes on nuclear facilities, saying Tehran had responded “proportionately.”
“The military action was also a diplomatic move on the part of Iran. We certainly never welcome hostility and reaction, but it was proportionate, de-escalatory, and it appears to have been intended,” the head of the Canadian government added.
Recall that world leaders gathered at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit, which kicked off on Tuesday, June 24, in The Hague, Netherlands. Among the key events is a planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. At the same time, Trump and Erdogan discussed the path to peace in Ukraine at a meeting in The Hague.
