Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday he expects to conclude negotiations with the European Union in June on an unprecedented partnership that would make Canada the bloc’s first “associate member,” even though the designation was left out of a joint declaration launching a new economic and security alliance.

Carney said he would attend a meeting of European leaders in June to conclude negotiations on the proposed relationship, which would stop short of full EU membership.

“In parallel, we are working towards the deepest possible partnership, short of accession — with Canada becoming the European Union’s first Associate Member,” Carney said.

The joint declaration issued at the end of a two-day summit in Montreal made no mention of associate membership.…