Mark Carney, the Canadian prime minister, has declared that Europe will not submit to a more "brutal world" and can instead serve as the foundation for rebuilding a new international order. Speaking as the first non-European leader to attend a meeting of the European Political Community (EPC) in Yerevan, Armenia, Carney addressed high tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and renewed doubts about the US commitment to NATO.
Carney's Vision for Europe
"We don't think that we're destined to submit to a more transactional, insular and brutal world, and gatherings such as these point to a better way forward," Carney stated. He suggested that the era of American leadership is coming to an end, explaining that Canada's attendance at a European political gathering symbolizes this shift. "It is my strong personal view that the international order will be rebuilt, but it will be rebuilt out of Europe," he added.
Carney emphasized the strength of shared values in defending a rules-based international order. "We are demonstrating not just the strength of our values in defending a rules-based international order, but also the value of our strength," he noted. "The world is undergoing a rupture across several dimensions – integration is being used as a weapon by some and the rules are not constraining the hegemons."
EPC Meeting Amid US Troop Withdrawal
The EPC meeting, the eighth since its inception, is being held in Yerevan, Armenia, a venue chosen to show Europe's determination to prevent the small Caucasus country from being drawn back into Russia's orbit. The meeting occurs against a backdrop of fresh concern over the US commitment to NATO, following Donald Trump's surprise decision to withdraw more than 5,000 troops from Germany. This move has confirmed European fears about the reliability of the transatlantic alliance.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer acknowledged the strain on alliances. "We cannot deny some of the alliances that we have come to rely on are not in the place where we would want them to be. There is more tension in the alliances than there should be," he said. He added that how leaders respond to these tensions will "define what goes on for many years, arguably for a generation."
French President Emmanuel Macron stated, "Europeans are taking their destiny into their own hands, increasing their defence and security spending, and building their own common solutions."
Ukraine and Russia Concerns
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russia faces a crucial moment this summer, which he termed "a moment to expand the war or move to diplomacy." He stressed that if Russia does not choose to end the war, it is vital that sanctions packages are not lifted. Zelenskyy called for a workable diplomatic format in which Europeans must be at the table during any talks.
In addition to removing troops from Germany, Trump has suggested pulling troops from Italy and Spain due to insufficient support for US-Israeli operations against Iran. As of the end of 2025, there were 36,436 active-duty US troops in Germany, 12,662 in Italy, and 3,814 in Spain.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas commented on the planned troop withdrawal from Germany, noting that while there had been talk of US troop withdrawal for a long time, "the timing of this announcement comes as a surprise. I think it shows that we have to really strengthen the European pillar in NATO." When asked if Trump was punishing German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for saying the US had been "humiliated" by Iran in talks, Kallas said, "I don't see into the head of President Trump, so he has to explain it himself."
Merz skipped the Yerevan summit but told a TV interviewer he was "not giving up on the transatlantic relationship. Nor am I giving up on working with Donald Trump."
NATO chief Mark Rutte admitted there had "been some disappointment on the US side" over Europe's reluctance to support the Iran war. However, he said Europeans had "heard the message" and were now providing logistical support to US operations and pre-positioning "key assets close to theatre, for the next phase."
