Key points
- Trudeau says nothing is more significant to his citizens than “our sovereignty”
- Trump recently suggested making Canada the 51st US state
- I stand with Zelensky: Trudeau
LONDON: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has hinted that his priority in talks with UK’s King Charles on Monday (today) will be protecting his country’s sovereignty after US President Donald Trump recently suggested making Canada the 51st US state.
According to Reuters, Trudeau said nothing is more significant to his citizens than “standing up for our sovereignty and our independence”, ahead of the meeting with King Charles, who is Canada’s head of state.
Last week, Charles invited Trump to what would be a historic second state visit to the UK, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer handing over the invitation during a meeting before the world’s media in the Oval Office.
51st US state
“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 media persons.
Trudeau, the outgoing prime minister of Canada, said last month that Trump’s talk regarding absorbing Canada “is a real thing” and is linked to the country’s rich natural resources.
Trump has repeatedly recommended Canada would be better off if it agreed to become the 51st US state, Reuters reported.
Trudeau was also asked regarding Trump’s meeting with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky. “I stand with Zelensky,” he said.
