BRUSSELS, 16 September, 2026 (Ghufran): European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday proposed opening the way for Canada to become the European Union’s first “associate member” as the bloc seeks to strengthen ties with allies in what she described as an “openly hostile world.” EU lawmakers gave a standing ovation after von der Leyen made the proposal during her annual State of the Union address in Strasbourg, before she walked over to embrace Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who was attending the European Parliament session. Von der Leyen said new partnerships were needed amid the “cold fragility of today’s world.” The 27-member European Union is facing war on its borders following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while both the EU and Canada are dealing with growing competition over trade and other issues from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump and an increasingly assertive China.