Donald Trump Calls Canada's Associate Membership in the European Union Ridiculous

Donald Trump, the President of the United States, in a speech on Wednesday, September 25, called the proposal by Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, to grant a type of "associate membership" to Canada "ridiculous." He stated that if this plan is implemented, heavy tariffs will be imposed against Europe or part of trade with this union will be halted.

Trump's Warning and the European Commission's Response

Trump stated that if he perceives this action as hostile, serious measures will be taken. He also mentioned that if this proposal was made with good intentions, he has no problem with it. In response to these remarks, the European Commission announced on Thursday that the aim of this proposal is to bring relations closer with Canada and is not against the United States or any other country. Olav Gale, the trade spokesperson for the European Commission, emphasized that this proposal is not aimed at countering other countries and its goal is to strengthen cooperation between the European Union and Canada.

Read more: Lebanon Accuses 14 People Including a Hezbollah Member and a Former Syrian Intelligence Officer

Details of von der Leyen's Proposal

Ursula von der Leyen proposed in the European Parliament that Canada be recognized as the first associate member of the European Union. Observers believe that this status is not defined in the current treaties of the European Union and its implementation requires the agreement of member countries. This issue has arisen as Mark Carney, the Prime Minister of Canada, is seeking to expand Ottawa's relations with the European Union amid escalating trade tensions with the United States.

Meanwhile, U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday, September 25, approved a broad sanctions bill against Russia with 262 votes in favor and 159 against. This bill, named the "Russia and Iran Sanctions Act of 2026" after Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the main architects of this bill who passed away this year, targets Russia's energy and defense sectors, banks, and some senior officials of the country.

These sanctions allow Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on major buyers of Russian oil and gas, particularly China and India. The aim of this action is stated to be reducing Russia's revenues to fund the war in Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, welcomed the passage of this bill and thanked U.S. lawmakers.

Read more: Russia and China Vetoed a Resolution to Monitor Iran Sanctions · Ireland Boycotts Eurovision for the Second Consecutive Year Due to Israel's Participation