PM Mark Carney speaks with reporters in Yerevan, Armenia – May 4, 2026

I've done something.That's exactly right.Okay.Well, I think probably the most efficient use for your time.Okay, you have two options.The first option is I drone on for, you know, 12 or 13 minutes or whatever it is, and take one question, and the second is that I take your questions.

Okay.Okay.Adolf, vas -y donc.

Sir, Ukraine.Fairly significant announcement today.What's that going to buy?

Well, what, so there's a system, it's actually, we started ramping up a little more than a year ago, called, it's basically the prioritized military equipment for the Ukraine, so it's prioritized by Ukraine.The PERL acronym is prioritized Ukrainian, yeah.And so there are a series of packages that are made available.Canada has participated in a number of them.They're not divisible as package.You can't send part of a missile system.

You have to send the whole thing.And with this money, we're going to be able to complete one of the packages with some Nordic partners, with Belgium and others.So the President was not surprised, and President Zelensky was grateful.I'd stress a couple of things, and then I'll hand back.The first is that The munitions are being made available – munitions is a broad, loose term – being made available by the Americans, so it's a question of financing and getting them there.We're doing that.

We're getting them there.That's the first point.Second, we had made a commitment earlier this year, in February, $2 .4 billion for Ukraine, Canadian, so this is part of that overall commitment.We're continuing to provide it.It's part of a bigger puzzle in a conflict where Ukraine is gaining some advantage.

another question follow -up for me and then my colleagues have a question it's just on you being here Canada being here with that family photo a lot of we've heard a lot about this why so significant for Canada foryou to be here, and as you say deepen these relationships because it does.If you turn back time maybe 12 months it might look a little unusual it's getting more normal.Why in your mind in 2026 is it so important?

country doing that.We're the only non -European member of SAFE, which is a defence arrangement very good for Canadians, Canadian business, because it makes us stronger.We have these partners, we can work directly good for our businesses, defence businesses there.You asked about Ukraine.We're a coalition willing.It's not exclusively European.

Australia and New Zealand in that as well, but it's effectively a European plus Canada, those other two countries coalition.So close work there.Straits of Hormuz, working very closely there.G7 French presidency.I mean, there is a series of linkages here from security through to economics that are being reinforced.We're working in real time.

Look, I'm off – out of Canada for, I don't know, 36 hours, including a chunk of the weekend.By the way, thank you for coming along and blowing your weekend as well.It's an incredibly – I mean, this is important, but it's also an incredibly efficient way to spend the time.Thank you.Miss you.First of all, in terms of consumption.

We start with the objectives, and the objectives are security.We start with security in the current situation, in Ukraine, for example.And it is the result of our efforts, the efforts of the Europeans and our American allies, it must be said, but within it is the support of Canada, of Europe, which makes the situation viable.if I may say so, viable in Ukraine, and the current situation becomes a little better for Ukrainians on their battlefields.So, first of all, it's a matter of objectives, not results.Secondly, as far as cooperation in the industrial sector is concerned, we have expectations, agreements are being drawn up with Italian companies, French companies, German companies, all of that.

We saw a great agreement, for example, in the field of artificial intelligence with Cohere, a German company.So there are a lot of possibilities.a lot on the ground.You have mentioned energy.This is not the discussion that started a year ago about Canada and Europe.Now we are starting more and more a discussion about energy.

And, final point, and I turn to you, there are very important agreements in the field ofcritical minerals.It's more than, well, to be safe, it's more than $2 billion compared to Canada and Europe.So there are results.

You stick to Europe, Europe sticks to you, while, in particular, Europeans are increasingly critical of Donald Trump, especially with what is happening in Iran.And we are preparing to renegotiate the SEUM.Don't we run the risk of frustrating Donald Trump even more?

No, no.I don't think so.We have to do several things at the same time.In the field of commerce, we have several...The Americans, for example.The Americans have signed several trade agreements over the past year.

C 'est le même pour le Canada. Alors, oui, nous sommes en train de renforcer nos liens commerciaux avec les Européennes, mais en même temps, nous sommes prêts à renégocier l 'ACM. Merci. Good afternoon, Prime Minister. I'm from the Irish CBC News. The Europeans' expectations are pretty high from Canada about energy, critical minerals, things like that.

Do you think there's a risk of a mismatch between Some of those projects involve the kind of infrastructure that can generate local resistance and NIMBYism, call it what you will.Is there a risk, do you think, of a mismatch between their expectations and Canadians' understanding of what they're going to have to give and build?

Yeah, Evan, I'm going to just go to your premise there.When we sit down with the Europeans, the first thing they raise is not energy.Okay, energy is something we raise as being part of the solution.They do raise critical minerals.They do raise defense cooperation.They do raise security cooperation containing coordination with Russia.

to Ukraine.They do raise a set of issues around artificial intelligence, space cooperation, the entire digital domain, if I can put it that way, where considerable progress is being made.Yes, energy is part of it, but the framing of this is that the discussions between Canada and Europe start with energy and critical...No, that's just not the way it has been.We do raise energy because we think that in nuclear, with respect to LNG, with respect to gas critical minerals as part of the broader energy train, we can be part of the solutions here.But that's a more accurate characterization of the way the discussions are going.

And with the Pearl package, this is Canadian money buying American weapons, but could you give us some more specifics on what you hope to buy, and are you concerned that the way they've been drawing down their stocks of their own emissions might make it harder?

Well, I think two things.One, the exact package and the details I look to my colleagues in terms of what actually gets disclosed relative to the time it gets delivered to the Ukrainians.Just from a security perspective, I'm And I can't give you the point answer to that and not betray confidences, if you don't mind, at this stage.But we'll follow up.If we can tell you immediately, we'll follow up afterwards on that.Let me say this about the Americans, which is that, yes, they have You know, there's been a big draw on resources because of the war with Iran, but they have made resources available to Ukraine.

These packages are for specific materiel that will be made available to Ukraine.So they are specific.It's not a generic send money into an account and it waits there until this shows up.And so commend the Americans for making the munitions available.

Next question.We've got two more reporters, about five minutes left.

Yeah, sorry, I'll quick, and I'll speed it up.

Prime Minister, Matina Stadus, New York Times.Hi.A couple of questions in reaction to news from the end of last week.Is Canada concerned about the drawdown of U .S.troops in Germany?

What does this mean about NATO more generally?

How are you thinking about this issue?Look, we start from this, which is it's our responsibility to fulfill our NATO commitments.That's why we've made the effort and succeeded over the course of the last year to hit that 2 percent target.There's more to be done.We're going to continue to move forward with that.It's one of the reasons why I'm here, because one of the most efficient and effective ways to meet our NATO obligations is to cooperate with our European partners, other partners, obviously Americans as well, but our European partners.

And that's something that's being developed in real time.So it's important at a leader level as well as officials' levels to be building that out.The second thing, I sat down with the Secretary General Rutte earlier today.We discussed NATO capacities deployment, the upcoming NATO summit, the priorities in and around there.Obviously, it's of interest and of some concern, speaking for myself, a potential adjustment in U .S.

troop forces, but the details are less clear at this stage, and it has to be put against the backdrop of very, very, very considerable American resources, including personnel, but obviously more broadly dedicated to NATO, and a world where Canada, Europe, everybody in that room, is taking more responsibility for collective defense.

And on a separate, similar, adjacent note, if you will.

Follow -ups don't have to have any relationship.

I was trying.I was reaching.We heard at the end of last week about a 25 percent tariff on European Union vehicles, which somehow obviously chips at the agreement the Europeans had with the United States.Do you feel that vindicates your approach, not rushing into a deal which you've spoken about, or do you feel that it foreshadows difficulty for Canada?

Well, I'll leave the specifics of European -US trade relations to the two parties.I think what it underscores is that for us, and we've had this view from the start, that what's important is to understand the objectives of the United States, of Mexico, our two partners in CUSMA, and that any adjustments that are made, and there will be adjustments through these bilateral deals, that they are aligned with the objectives and incentives, in this case, of the United States.So it's that alignment of incentives that is going to make whatever is agreed robust.Okay.

MODERATOR Hi, Prime Minister.

I know Canada and the EU broadly support the Armenia -Azerbaijan peace process.Do you think a true peace can be achieved while there are thousands of refugees from the Gorno -Karabakh who don't have a safe ability to return to their homes right now, and while Azerbaijan holds prisoners of war?

Well, it's – as you say, Rafi, it is a peace process.President Aliyev assisted in the – via videoconference in the discussions this morning, as he will this afternoon.I think that's an important sign of the commitment there, the commitment also of the Government of Armenia to support.We're doing our bit.terms of engagement with both parties.The monitoring role that we're playing, again, is the only non -European country that's doing that.

And the signs are positive, but it's a process and an anti -peace process.There are always a series of issues, important issues, fundamental issues, humanitarian issues that need to be addressed over time.I would say that My judgment, our judgment, is that there is momentum behind this process and that we will do what we can to reinforce that.Just the observation, and I think it tells you where we've come from, is the lack of any hostilities at the border for months and months and months, which was confirmed to me yesterday by the Prime Minister.

I take your point on his virtual participation.It does come a few days after Azerbaijan destroyed a major church in the former enclave of Nagorno -Karabakh, so what does it say that he's here today after that?

I will refer to the comments of the Prime Minister of Armenia, which underscored the progress that has been made in setting this peace.He did mention the issue that you referenced, and that his belief, and again, it's in the public domain, but also consistent with our private conversations, that peace is proceeding, a peace process is proceeding.We're encouraged by that.We will do what we can as Canada to support it.Thank you very much.the Pearl today.

So, it's a very important announcement for us, for Ukraine, becausefor the air defense of Ukraine, you need to have equipment, missiles, and all that.They are American equipment that Canada, Belgium, Norway, and other countries buy.for the Ukrainians, and they are targeted by the Ukrainians.So it's not a current need, it's a need now for Ukraine.And basically, Canada is a close partner with the Ukrainians in the defense of this country, in this terrible war that is unfolding.

But I mean, The situation remains serious, but Ukraine is making progress.It is making progress, becoming stronger, and Russia is becoming weaker.And above all, the Russian economy has weakened now.So we have to put pressure on Russia.Thank you very much.