Prime Minister Mark Carney met Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis during a summit in Dublin Thursday.
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Prime Minister Mark Carney was in Dublin on Thursday for a meeting of the European Political Community, an informal gathering of leaders that has met every six months since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
On the sidelines of the summit, Carney met with two European leaders from countries that have not yet ratified the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA): Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Christodoulides said the goal is to complete the agreement for Cyprus, adding, “I want to mention this publicly. We are doing whatever is necessary in order to pass the agreement, (the) free trade agreement between the European Union and Canada, which is very important for both of us,” during a photo op ahead of his private conversation with Carney.
The countries have held back on ratification for reasons that include questions about protected origins for cheeses, including whether Canadian-made products can be called feta or halloumi.
Christodoulides said the meeting was the first between a Canadian prime minister and a Cypriot president in 80 years, and he said it reflects a “pro-European Canadian approach” under Carney’s leadership.
Carney also held informal discussions, known as pull-asides, with French President Emmanuel Macron and with the leaders of Latvia, Ireland and Denmark.
Carney told reporters Thursday morning that the summit could help advance his goal of boosting affordability and economic opportunities for Canadians through new partnerships with Europe, saying it would deliver “affordability, cutting red tape, more competition in Canada, more goods, more choice and security.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended the summit and briefed Carney and a dozen European leaders on the state of negotiations with Russia.
The briefing came as negotiations involving Russian officials were happening in connection with discussions organized by U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner.
In remarks attributed to Carney, he said it is up to Europe to craft arrangements that would secure an eventual peace with support from countries such as Canada, describing “security guarantees” as a European responsibility that can include assurances related to a ceasefire or defending a country if it is invaded.
Carney also said he did not attend the UN Climate Conference in Turkey, better known as COP31, noting that the leaders’ day fell on Nov. 11 and adding that it was “more important to be at Remembrance Day” to honour members of the Canadian Forces.
He said his environment minister will help advance Canadian interests on electrification, which he said is a major theme of the summit in Turkey.
Carney is set to leave for Asia Thursday evening, with plans to attend a summit in the Philippines focused on regional issues and then the Francophonie summit in Cambodia.
The Francophonie summit will include Quebec Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, whose minority government was elected on a sovereigntist platform, and who has said he wants to conduct diplomacy on Quebec’s behalf rather than leaving it to the prime minister.
In comments attributed to Macron, he said he looks forward to speaking with representatives of the Francophonie at the upcoming summit and added, “It is not my place to interfere in Canadian affairs, but rather to continue supporting our shared affinities, including our cultural and linguistic ties.”
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