Canada PM Carney Says He Has Spoken With Trump in Recent Days — Update

By Paul Vieira

OTTAWA--Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he has spoken in recent days with President Trump in the aftermath of failed trade talks and a deterioration in diplomatic ties.

Carney revealed the conversation at a press conference in Banff, Alberta, alongside Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, as the Canadian leader said Ottawa would make financing available to Kyiv to purchase fuel and bolster its air defence.

The Canadian prime minister didn't divulge what he and Trump spoke about in terms of renewing talks to stabilize trade relations. He said the topic of Ukraine came up, and the important role the Trump administration can play in ending the war.

"President Trump and I remain in regular contact," Carney said. "I've spoken to him recently in the last few days, a couple of times, related to issues here, related to issues in Iran, other global developments, because that's part of our responsibility is to work together and working very much."

Carney reiterated that there is a beneficial trade pact to be had between the two countries. "Canada is ready to strike a fair deal," he said.

Talks toward a new trade deal between the two countries collapsed last month, with both sides accusing the other of raising last-minute hurdles that made a pact untenable.

The breakdown triggered a sharp exchange of rhetoric between U.S. and Canadian officials, and Trump ordered the renaming of Lake Ontario to Lake America following harsh criticism from Ontario Premier Doug Ford.

The U.S. has imposed tariffs of up to 50% on certain Canadian products and banned the import of certain Canadian goods, in response to alleged mistreatment by Canadian officials of U.S.-made cars, alcohol and dairy products. Carney likened the new 50% U.S. tariffs as an act of war, and Canadian officials in retaliation slapped tariffs of up to 15% to 50% on $20 billion in U.S. goods.

Economists and trade analysts have revised their outlooks, which assumed the U.S. and Canada would eventually strike a deal that provides America's northern neighbor with relief on sector-specific duties on automobiles, steel and aluminum. In a video address this week, Carney said the government would take whatever measures needed to support affected workers, while bracing Canadians for tough times ahead.

One of Carney's key policy priorities is finding new markets for Canadian goods, and develop deeper ties with other allies--especially in Europe. He is set to visit the European Parliament next week, and Carney said Thursday that Canada "we will be looking to use the coming months to explore a deepening of" its partnership with the European Union "across a broad range of areas."

Write to Paul Vieira at paul.vieira@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 10, 2026 15:13 ET (19:13 GMT)