Von der Leyen to miss Carney's European Parliament address
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will skip Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's Thursday address to the European Parliament, sending Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič in her place.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will address members of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Thursday at 11:30 a.m., but European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will not be present. The Commission will instead be represented by Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, described as one of von der Leyen's most trusted lieutenants. The Commission's chief spokesperson, Paula Pinho, confirmed the arrangement.
Carney's visit comes as Canada's relationship with Washington continues to deteriorate, prompting Ottawa to seek closer ties with the European Union. He is expected to use the address to lay out his priorities for Brussels ahead of a Canada-EU summit scheduled for October.
The Parliament speech will take place a day after Carney attends von der Leyen's annual State of the Union address, meaning the Canadian leader will take part in two major EU institutional events within a two-day span in Strasbourg. The back-to-back appearances underscore Canada's growing push to deepen cooperation with the EU amid rising tensions with the United States.
