Carney joins EU parliament for von der Leyen state of the Union address

Carney to address European Parliament on Thursday

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is set to outline the bloc’s challenges and opportunities in her annual State of the Union address Wednesday, with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney among the special guests in the European Parliament chamber, the Guardian reported in its live coverage of the event.

Carney is attending to hear the address as Canada seeks closer ties with the EU in three areas: defence, digital regulation, and trade. The Guardian reported that the Canadian government’s outreach comes “amid growing tensions with and outright repeated threats from US president Donald Trump.”

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola is also on hand to welcome Carney alongside von der Leyen, according to a Reuters photograph by Yves Herman captioned by the Guardian.

Carney is scheduled to address the European Parliament himself on Thursday, the Guardian reported. The Guardian did not specify the subject of his planned address.