European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in Strasbourg that the European Union wants to open the door for Canada to become the bloc's first "quasi-member state" and raise bilateral ties to the highest level. According to PANews, she said the invitation for Canadian Prime Minister Carney to visit Europe is intended to push the two sides to upgrade from their current trade agreement to a "future alliance," building a shared space for prosperity and economic security in manufacturing, technology, energy, artificial intelligence, defense, and the Arctic. Von der Leyen also said the EU aims to establish a closer security and strategic partnership with Canada.