OTTAWA, Ontario — Canada is in advanced talks with the European Union to join the bloc’s new project to expand its military industry, a move that would allow Canada to be part of building European fighter jets and other military equipment at its own industrial facilities.
The budding defense cooperation between Canada and the European Union, which is racing to shore up its industry to lower reliance on the United States, would boost Canada’s military manufacturers and offer the country a new market at a time when its relationship with the U.S. has become frayed.
Shaken by a crisis in the two nations’ long-standing alliance since President Donald Trump’s election, Canada has started moving closer to Europe. The military industry collaboration with the European Union highlights how traditional U.S. allies are deepening their ties without U.S. participation to insulate themselves from Trump’s unpredictable moves.
Canada’s new leader, Prime Minister Mark Carney, this week made Paris and London the destinations of his first overseas trip since taking office Friday, calling Canada “the most European of non-European countries.”
Two officials, one from the European Union and one from Canada, with direct knowledge of the discussions said detailed talks were underway to incorporate Canada into the European Union’s new defense initiative. The goal is to boost the EU’s defense industry and eventually offer a credible alternative to the United States, which is now dominant.
The officials requested anonymity to describe the talks because they were not authorized to brief the press and the negotiations were ongoing. They said no specific contracts had been discussed yet.
The EU is taking major steps to increase military spending, both loosening budget rules so that its countries can spend more and proposing a 150 billion-euro ($163 billion) loan program to finance shared military development.
That program is meant to prioritize European-made products, with 65% of component costs coming either from within the bloc or from partners that have signed a specific type of deal with it. Under the current talks, Canada would help supply the additional 35% and could go further if it brokered an additional agreement.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
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