EU, Canada want to bring ties to ‘highest’ possible level: EU chief

MONTREAL, Canada, Oct 29, 2026 (Net) – The EU wants to build a partnership with Canada

that “comes closer to membership than anything we have done before,” the bloc’s chief Ursula

von der Leyen said Thursday ahead of a summit with Canadian leader Mark Carney.

“We both want to bring our relationship to the highest level possible,” von der Leyen said in a

speech in Montreal, referring to Canada possibly becoming the European Union’s “first associate

member” despite an intra-EU squabble over the use of the term.