Canada is in advanced talks with the European Union to join the new block project to extend its military industry, a decision that would allow Canada to be part of the construction of European hunting jets and other military equipment in its own industrial facilities.
Cooperation in budding defense between Canada and the European Union, which rushes to consolidate its industry to reduce dependence in the United States, stimulates the military manufacturers of Canada and will offer the country a new market at a time when its relations with the United States have become effiled.
Shaken by a crisis in the long -standing alliance of the two nations since the election of President Trump, Canada began to get closer to Europe. The collaboration of the military industry with the European Union underlines how the traditional American allies deepen their links without the American participation to isolate themselves from the unpredictable movements of Mr. Trump.
The new leader of Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney, has made Paris and London the destinations of his first trip abroad since entering on Friday, calling Canada “the most European of non -European countries”.
Two officials, one of the European Union and one in Canada, with direct knowledge of discussions, said that detailed discussions were underway to integrate Canada into the new defense initiative of the European Union. The objective is to stimulate the EU defense industry and possibly offer a credible alternative to the United States, which is now dominant.
More specifically, officials said that Canada would be able to be part of the European military manufacturing list, marketing its industrial facilities to build European systems like the Saab Gripen Jet, a competitor of the American F-35, manufactured by Lockheed Martin.
The officials asked anonymity to describe the talks because they were not allowed to inform the press and the negotiations were still in progress. They said that no specific contract had yet been discussed.
The European Union takes major measures to increase military spending, the two serving the budget rules so that the blocks of the block can spend more and offer a loan program of 150 billion euros ($ 163 billion) to finance shared military development.
This program aims to prioritize European manufacturing products, with 65% of the costs of components from inside the block or partners who have signed a specific type of the agreement. Under current talks, Canada would help provide the additional 35% and could go further if it was negotiating an additional agreement to participate more closely.
Canada, under the terms of the discussion, would also have preferential access to the EU market for military equipment, an alternative to the purchase of equipment from the United States.
Similarly to the European Union, which must intensify its help to Ukraine quickly while the United States limits its own, Canada crosses a brutal alarm clock in terms of military capacities and investments. He is one of the NATO allies who have been criticized as sub-depends on his soldiers.
NATO’s objective is that members invest at least 2% of economic production in defense. Canada only spends about 1.3%, but has revealed plans to increase up to 2% by the end of the decade.
Mr. Trump insisted that Canada should simply Be part of the United States, citing dependence on the American army as an argument.
Carney announced on Tuesday that Canada had a radar technology agreement with Australia.
The Canada Military Industry, which is relatively small, has been used to produce Canadian equipment but was also a regular entrepreneur for the construction of American equipment or military documents. Canadian factories in the vast country produce ammunition, tanks, planes, technological defense systems and naval ships.
A In -depth examination of the industry In 2022, found that around half of Canada’s military equipment was exported and half held at the national level. The main export destination, by far, was the United States.
Since Mr. Trump’s election, Canada has been increasingly aligned more and more closely with Atlantic partners, seeking to diversify business partners and defense allies far from its main relationship with the United States.
In a document prepared by the European Union to exhibit the plans of its defense initiative, Canada was explicitly mentioned, referring to talks to absorb the country in the EU military industry project.
Carney spoke with Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission on Sunday, and the military industrial cooperation was discussed during this call, the two officials said.
“Our cooperation with Canada has intensified and should be further improved, also to strengthen transatlantic security,” said the EU document, Released on Wednesday. He added that discussions were underway “including respective initiatives to stimulate the production of the defense industry”.
Admittedly, the European initiative and the Canadian partnership would take years to bear fruit. The defense of the EU has lagged behind due to American domination and underinvestment, and the will of the Ukraine arm has exhausted the arsenals of the members of the EU. The acceleration of production takes time and refreshed contracts for specific military equipment, to allow defense companies to invest in the production of extremely expensive items, such as planes.
Jeanna Smilek Contributed reports from Brussels.
