Washington - Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed, following his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, that the two sides agreed to continue discussions in the coming weeks, in an effort to de-escalate the rising tensions between the two countries over the recent trade dispute.

Carney stated in a press statement on Tuesday evening that the meeting was "frank and constructive," noting that he conveyed to Trump Canada's firm rejection of the new tariffs imposed by Washington on a number of Canadian goods, particularly steel and automobiles. He added, "I made it clear that Canada is not for sale, and we will not accept any deals that affect our sovereignty or economic interests."

During the meeting, Trump reiterated the idea of including Canada as "the 51st state," saying that it "would be a wonderful marriage," a statement that sparked a wave of criticism in Canadian circles. Carney responded to this proposal by saying, "Canada is not Buckingham Palace... it is not for sale."

Despite the harsh statements, both sides agreed to maintain communication and plan for additional meetings on the sidelines of the upcoming G7 summit in Alberta, at a time when no tangible progress has been recorded regarding the review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

This meeting comes amid growing concern in Canada over the unilateral economic policies of the Trump administration, along with Canadian calls to strengthen trade relations with Europe and Asia to reduce dependence on the U.S. market.