Canada PM Trudeau says protecting sovereignty is his priority against US

3/3/2025 6:10

Canadian Prime Minister

Justin Trudeau said his priority in talks with King Charles on

Monday will be protecting his country's sovereignty after U.S.

President Donald Trump recently suggested making Canada the 51st

U.S. state.



Trudeau said nothing is more important to his citizens than

"standing up for our sovereignty and our independence", ahead of

the meeting with Charles, who is Canada's head of state.



Last week, Charles invited Trump to what would be a historic

second state visit to Britain, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer

handing over the invitation during a meeting before the world's

media in the Oval Office.



"I look forward to sitting down with His Majesty tomorrow,

as always we will discuss matters of importance to Canada and

Canadians, and I can tell you that nothing seems more important

to Canadians than standing up for our sovereignty and our

independence as a nation," Trudeau told reporters.



Trudeau, the outgoing prime minister, said last month that

Trump's talk about absorbing Canada "is a real thing" and is

linked to the country's rich natural resources.



Trump has repeatedly suggested Canada would be better off if

it agreed to become the 51st U.S. state.



Trudeau was also asked about Trump's meeting with Ukrainian

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. "I stand with Zelenskiy," he

said.