UPDATE - US and Canadian leaders hold talks on bilateral trade agreement
- Trump reveals outlines of emerging pact, including Keystone pipeline’s construction and elimination of agricultural tariffs
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- Trump reveals outlines of emerging pact, including Keystone pipeline’s construction and elimination of agricultural tariffs
REVISES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE, ADDS STATEMENTS FROM TRUMP ON ACCORD’S DETAILS, PIPELINE FINANCING, TARIFF ELIMINATION
By Yasin Gungor
ISTANBUL (AA) - Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and US President Donald Trump discussed the framework of a new bilateral trade agreement in a series of phone calls, signaling a possible breakthrough in resolving a months-long cross-border trade dispute.
"We have the concept of a very good deal with Canada," Trump told reporters, noting that the deal is "going to be great for our farmers, great for our country, and it'll be fine for Canada too."
Trump also emphasized that the arrangement will dismantle Canadian agricultural trade barriers, asserting that "our farmers were paying tremendous tariffs to send things to Canada" reaching up to 400% on dairy items.
"All those tariffs will be gone. There will be no tariff," he maintained.
Outlining key provisions of the emerging accord, Trump said Ottawa agreed to finance the cross-border Keystone oil pipeline system connecting Canada and the US.
"They're going to build the Keystone Pipeline. They're going to pay for it," he noted, adding that Washington has largely determined the pipeline's transit route.
Carney said earlier Sunday that he held discussions with Trump regarding the framework of a new bilateral trade agreement.
“This builds on our recent constructive discussions on the outlines of a mutually beneficial trade deal that would create jobs for our workers, boost affordability for families, and fully respect Canada’s languages, culture and sovereignty,” Carney wrote on the US social media platform X, describing the exchange with Trump as a “good conversation.”
He added that negotiating teams from both countries would coordinate closely over the coming weeks to deliver a final text.
The Canadian leader’s comments follow remarks by Trump last week, when he said Washington was “getting close to a deal” with Canada, alleging that Ottawa had long profited at the expense of the US.
Bilateral trade remains strained after both countries imposed tariffs on billions of dollars’ worth of goods following the collapse of trade negotiations.
Muhammed Yasin Güngör