Germany – Germany’s foreign minister is making it clear that Canada is not alone, as Ottawa faces a mix of economic threats and outright absurdity from U.S. President Donald Trump’s talk of making Canada an American state.
“To our Canadian friends: your country stands together. Canada’s unity inspires us,” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Friday, a pointed statement against Trump’s aggressive stance.
“We Europeans, we Germans, and Canada are not only partners; we are close friends. And friends have each other’s back – always.”
Baerbock’s remarks came at the conclusion of the G7 foreign ministers’ meetings in Quebec’s Charlevoix region, where Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly has expressed frustration over how little some of Canada’s allies seem to grasp the gravity of Washington’s threats.
“Many of my colleagues coming here thought that this issue was still a joke,” Joly said Friday, highlighting just how unseriously some are taking what is, in reality, a direct challenge to Canada’s sovereignty and economic stability.
Joly has warned that the U.S. is actively undermining Canada, siphoning investment, and positioning itself to dominate its northern neighbor economically.
Baerbock didn’t mince words, affirming that Germany stands firm on protecting sovereign borders—whether in Ukraine, Greenland, or Canada.
“If you look at the final declaration underlining territorial integrity for countries, this means every country in the world – and obviously especially NATO countries like Canada, Germany, and all the others,” she said.
Baerbock and European Commission High Representative Kaja Kallas even took their support a step further. On Thursday, they made a visual statement by coordinating their outfits—Baerbock in white and Kallas in red—and sharing a photo on X with the message, “We’ve got your back,” alongside a Canadian flag.
“It underlines that diplomacy has different colours,” Baerbock explained. “In these polarized times, emotions and symbols matter just as much as words.”
Kallas echoed this sentiment, calling the color-coordinated show of solidarity a way to visibly stand with Canada.
Not every G7 leader has been as vocal. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani dodged direct criticism of Trump’s remarks, offering little more than, “For me, Canada will be Canada.” Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy cautiously acknowledged that U.S. tariffs were a disappointment and stressed the importance of unity.
At home, newly sworn-in Prime Minister Mark Carney dismissed the need for validation from other nations.
“We’re masters in our home; we’re in charge,” Carney said bluntly, brushing aside Trump’s statements as nonsense.
“It’s crazy; his point is crazy,” he said Friday. “We are a very, fundamentally different country.”
He also pointed out that Canada is one of the biggest economic partners for several key U.S. industries, reinforcing the fact that being absorbed into the U.S. would be a ridiculous and unnecessary move.
Trump’s rhetoric might continue, but Canada’s position remains firm. And as Baerbock and other allies are making clear, Canada is not standing alone in the face of Washington’s latest outburst.