The situation in the relations between the United States and Canada continues to deteriorate. According to the Financial Times, representatives of the U.S. presidential administration have held several closed meetings with leaders of the Alberta Prosperity Project (APP) — an organization advocating for the separation of the province of Alberta from Canada.
Sources from the publication inform that since April 2025, APP delegates have visited Washington three times to discuss matters with the State Department. A new round of negotiations is scheduled for February of this year. The separatists intend to request a loan of $500 billion from the U.S., which is planned to be used to ensure the economic stability of the region in the event of a referendum on independence.
APP legal advisor Jeff Rath, who participated in the negotiations, noted that the American side shows significant interest in the emergence of a "free Alberta." According to him, interactions with Donald Trump's team are more productive than with the Canadian government led by Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Despite this, officials in Washington are trying to maintain distance. The State Department confirmed the existence of contacts, characterizing them as "routine discussions with civil society," while emphasizing that no commitments have been made to the separatists. The White House also denied information about financial support. Moreover, the circle of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the issue of the $500 billion loan is not even being discussed.
Experts emphasize that Washington's interest in Alberta has practical justification: this province is a key supplier of oil to the U.S. The escalation of the situation is also related to a personal conflict between the leaders of the two countries. After Mark Carney's sharp criticism of Trump at the forum in Davos and Canada's support for Greenland's position, the American president excluded Canada from his Peace Council. Against this backdrop, contacts with Alberta separatists appear as an additional tool for pressure on Ottawa.
