Canada and European NATO countries are also promising to dramatically increase their defense spending, something that will be reaffirmed by alliance leaders during their summit in The Hague starting on Wednesday.
“While NATO remains the cornerstone of our collective defense, this partnership will allow us to strengthen our preparedness faster and better — to invest more and smarter,” European Council President António Costa said at a press conference after the summit.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen added that the partnership will strengthen Canada’s role in Europe’s rapidly evolving defense architecture. “It’s just the beginning,” she said.
“‘It will be good for our industries, it will be good for our people, and it will be good for the transatlantic security tool.”
Von der Leyen added that Carney was “among friends” in Brussels.
According to a joint statement published Monday evening, Ottawa will now work with Brussels on a bilateral agreement related to the EU’s €150 billion Security Action for Europe (SAFE) plan. The program is limited to EU countries and close allies, issuing loans to members to buy weapons and allowing other countries to take part in joint procurements.