By Lauren Krugel The Canadian Press Published September 18, 2026 11:02 am 1 min read Decrease article font size Increase article font size Canada has the potential to bolster Europe’s energy security through a new alliance, but experts say that doesn’t necessarily mean tankers crossing the Atlantic Ocean loaded with oil or liquefied natural gas. Prime Minister Mark Carney was in Strasbourg, France, this week where he and European Union leaders discussed strengthening ties on several fronts amid strained relations with the United States. Werner Antweiler, an economist at the University of British Columbia, says Europe is in a “precarious situation” as it seeks to move away from Russian energy imports following that country’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. 1:54 How Canadians feel about proposed EU associate membership More about Canada More videos Canada has pipelines and port infrastructure to export oil and gas from the west coast to Asia, but there is no such option in the east, and Any such project could take a decade or more to come to fruition. Meanwhile, Antweiler says European companies have the ability to secure a stable supply of gas from Canada through what are known as swap contracts, where a shipment headed to Asia, for example, could be swapped with another bound for its shores. Rachel Doran, CEO of Clean Energy Canada, sees a promising opportunity to supply critical minerals to Europe, helping it transition away from fossil fuels and increase its supply of clean energy. © 2026 The Canadian Press