Austria urges deeper Canada-EU ties on trade and security

Austria's foreign minister called on Friday for deeper ties between Canada and the European Union, arguing that the link could lift trade, spread out supply sources and support strategic independence, Turkey's state-run news agency Anadolu Agency reported.

Beate Meinl-Reisinger, speaking in Ottawa, framed the relationship as a long-term partnership that would strengthen both sides in economic, scientific, technological and security matters.

"We are partners by choice. We work together by choice, and we believe that this alliance for the future will make our economies stronger," she said at a news conference with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand.

Meinl-Reisinger said relying on fewer suppliers exposes both sides to risk, and she described Canada as a dependable partner for Europe.

She urged countries that share core values to cooperate in shaping the global order instead of leaving its direction to others.

On Ukraine, she said only Russian President Vladimir Putin could bring the war to an immediate end, and she called on the EU to align its stance before any future talks.

On relations with Washington, she said Austria still favors working with the United States, because no nation can act alone in today's world.

"I do get the point of America first, but I think, especially in a global context, no sovereign nation can act alone. We need cooperation. So, it's America first, okay, but it's never America alone," she said.

She added that Austria would keep supporting US efforts to secure peace in Ukraine and to carry out the peace plan for the Gaza Strip.

Meinl-Reisinger named India, Gulf states, Japan and Australia as possible partners for closer cooperation, and called Canada the most European country outside Europe.

She said the Canada-EU partnership amounted to the closest alliance possible short of full membership, and said the next task was to turn pledges into concrete outcomes.