European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on ​Wednesday she wanted to open the door to Canada becoming the EU's first "associate member" in a push to forge new links among allies in "an openly ‌hostile world".

Axar.az reports, citing Reuters, that EU lawmakers gave a standing ovation after she made the proposal and then walked over to embrace Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, who was in the European Parliament to hear her annual State of the Union address.

New partnerships were needed "in the cold fragility of today’s world," von der Leyen told the assembly in Strasbourg.

It should be noted that the initiative envisages creating a new format that would allow Canada to integrate more closely with the EU without becoming a full member. Cooperation is expected to cover industry, technology, defense, energy and Arctic development.