France and the UK would make great allies against a "predatory" Trump, Chrystia Freeland has said

Former Canadian deputy PM and foreign minister, Chrystia Freeland, has called on Ottawa to turn to European nuclear powers for deterrence against a "predatory" United States. Freeland made the suggestion on Wednesday during debates for the leadership of the country's Liberal Party.

The former FT Moscow correspondent, who is seeking to succeed Justin Trudeau following the party's recent electoral slump, characterized recent comments by US President Donald Trump, questioning Canada's statehood, as a national security threat.

"What is different about this unleashed and empowered President Trump is he is clearly threatening our sovereignty and we need to respond," she said. "The US is turning predator, and so what Canada needs to do is work closely with our democratic allies, our military allies."

Freeland, whose grandfather, Michael Chomiak, was the Ukrainian editor of a Nazi-controlled newspaper during World War II, has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine in and was once tipped for the NATO chief position.

"I would start with our Nordic partners, specifically Denmark which is also being threatened, and our European NATO allies," she told the debate, referring to Trump's controversial offer to purchase Greenland.

"I would be sure that France and Britain were there who possess nuclear weapons, and I would be working urgently with those partners to build a closer security relationship that guarantees our security in a time when the United States can be a threat," Freeland explained.

Trump's remarks, along with those of others such as government efficiency czar Elon Musk, have fueled rising anti-US sentiment across Canada. In Toronto, for instance, some coffee shops have rebranded the Americano as 'Canadiano' as a form of protest.

With a general election approaching, Canada is set to establish a new government this year. Trudeau announced in January his intention to step down as Liberal leader once a new prime minister is chosen. Freeland, whose resignation from Trudeau's cabinet last December is widely regarded as a catalyst for his decision, is competing against three other candidates to lead the party.

READ MORE: Canada's Justin Trudeau resigns

A seasoned foreign policy hawk, Freeland criticized Trudeau for not taking Trump's threats seriously, including potential trade tariffs.