Canada applies to join UK-led military coalition

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney attends a news conference in Banff, Alberta, Canada, September 10, 2026. REUTERS/Todd Korol

OTTAWA, Sept 16 - Canada, seeking to diversify its defense ties away from the United States, has formally applied to join the British-led Joint Expeditionary Force military coalition, Prime Minister Mark Carney's office said on Wednesday.

The force, a grouping of 10 North Atlantic NATO member states, is a rapid response military partnership.

"Prime Minister Carney announced that Canada has formally applied to join the Joint Expeditionary Force and welcomed the UK's support for Canada's participation in this important initiative," Carney's office said in a statement.

Canada, already a member of NATO, is seeking closer military cooperation with European nations as it tries to reduce its reliance on the United States.

Carney had earlier met British Prime Minister Andy Burnham in northern England.

The two men discussed opportunities for defense industrial cooperation through the Global Combat Air Programme, an advanced fighter jet project that Canada joined as an observer in July 2026, Carney's office said.

The JEF comprises Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. REUTERS