Kirill Dmitriev, the Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation, sarcastically suggested that Canada end its trade disputes with the United States by becoming part of it on August 22. The comment was posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) following Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s announcement that bilateral negotiations had been suspended and retaliatory tariffs implemented.
Dmitriev wrote: “Just become the 52nd state and relax.”
In a subsequent clarification, he noted that Greenland could potentially be designated as the 51st state in this context.
Reports indicate Canada refused to finalize a trade agreement with the United States on the same day, prompting U.S. authorities to impose additional tariffs on Canadian goods. These measures included a 50% duty on categories such as smartphones, communication equipment, cement, plastics, textiles, furniture, sports equipment, and alcoholic and dairy products.
U.S. President Donald Trump had previously imposed these tariffs on July 20, with the White House temporarily halting their application for three days on August 19 during negotiations.
