A summit of the European Political Community is taking place in Yerevan, Armenia, amid renewed doubts about US commitments to NATO.
The Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, said that Europe may not submit to a more ‘brutal world’. Instead, it may be the base from which a new international order may be rebuilt, potentially emphasising cooperation among European nations and their allies to address global challenges and security threats.
Carney was speaking as the first non-European leader to participate in the European Political Community summit. This summit opened on Monday, 4 May ’26, amidst high tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, besides renewed doubts about the U.S. commitment to NATO.
Carney added that they shouldn’t think they’re destined to submit to a more transactional, insular & brutal world. He added that gatherings such as these may point to a better way forward, as they foster collaboration and dialogue among nations, potentially leading to a more cooperative international environment.
In a pointed suggestion that the era of American dominance may be coming to an end, Carney explained the symbolism of Canada’s attendance at a European political gathering. He added that he strongly believes the international order could be rebuilt, potentially originating from Europe.
Carney asserted that they were demonstrating not just the strength of their values in defending a rules-based international order but also the value of their strength. He opined that the world is experiencing a rupture across several dimensions. Some are using integration as a weapon, while the hegemons are not constraining the rules.
The EPC summit was the eighth since the organization’s inception. It was convened in Yerevan, Armenia. It’s a venue chosen as a way of showing Europe’s determination. That’s in preventing the small Caucasus country from being dragged into Russia’s orbit, which could destabilise the region and undermine European security interests.
It’s being held against a backdrop of fresh concern over the U.S.’s commitment to NATO after Donald Trump’s surprise decision to announce the withdrawal of more than 5,000 troops from Germany. It’s a move that has confirmed Europeans’ worst fears about the reliability of the transatlantic alliance.
