The European Union's invitation for Canada to become an "associate member" shows traditional U.S. allies binding closer together. "We must urgently reimagine our partnerships," said Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission president, in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at her side. But there are no guarantees.

While details remain scant, von der Leyen noted potential cooperation in manufacturing, technology, defense, energy policy and economic security. This would not be "a partnership against anyone else," she insisted, "but for our common strength." European officials wanted to ensure President Trump did not see the partnership as anti-American.

Still, if it isn't precisely against the United States, then it's unmistakably about it. "Behind this is a desire to hedge against what for both partners is an increasingly fraught relationship with the United States," said Ian Lesser of the German Marshall Fund. "It's the most important geoeconomic and geopolitical relationship for both Europe and for Canada."

For Carney, the invitation is timely and symbolically important. He has stood up to Trump, who has imposed tariffs on Canada. Carney has pushed for greater access to the European Union without full membership. Von der Leyen has painted Canada as a dependable source for energy and critical raw materials, and a steadfast ally sharing NATO membership and support for Ukraine.

The tie-up makes sense amid global turbulence. The E.U.'s 27 members and Canada have more than 490 million citizens and include four of the world's 10 largest economies. But inserting a country an ocean away deeper into the bloc's legal web is not straightforward. The label "associate member" is not an existing type of partnership.