Historic meeting between Emmanuel Macron and Mark Carney in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon / The two will discuss energy, defense, and Canada’s rapprochement with Europe

French President Emmanuel Macron will receive Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Sunday in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, a French territory located approximately 25 kilometers off the coast of Canada. The two will discuss the security of oil and gas supplies, defense, critical minerals, and advanced technologies, at a time when Canada is reducing its dependence on the United States and strengthening its relations with Europe.

The visit comes amid the energy crisis caused by the war in the Middle East and the disruption of transport through the Strait of Hormuz. Macron said that France is seeking to increase trade with Canada in petroleum products and liquefied natural gas in order to diversify its suppliers and limit pressure on prices.

Carney will be the first Canadian prime minister to officially visit the archipelago, while Macron is, in turn, the first French president to arrive in the archipelago since François Hollande, in 2014.

The agenda includes a working lunch, a joint statement, and a ceremony dedicated to the volunteers of Free France. The discussions will also address cooperation in artificial intelligence, quantum technology, space, satellites, and supercomputing.

The choice of the territory carries strong geopolitical significance, after Donald Trump published a map in which Canada, Greenland, and Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon appeared under the American flag. The meeting thus also sends a message concerning sovereignty, shared values, and the strengthening of the European presence in the North Atlantic.