European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday proposed opening a path for Canada to become the European Union’s first associate member, a striking overture as U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs drive Ottawa closer to Europe. She spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during her annual State of the European Union address. Carney received a standing ovation from European lawmakers. He is due to address the European Parliament on Thursday. Trump’s tariffs and repeated talk of making Canada the 51st state have pushed Canada to seek closer economic and security ties with Europe. Roughly 70% of Canadian exports go to the United States, and Carney has called for a “unique alliance” with the EU as Canada seeks to reduce that dependence. Follow more updates from the annual address at the link in our bio. #APPhoto by Pascal Bastien