Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, met with the President of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, on the margins of the 2026 NATO Summit in Ankara, Türkiye.

Prime Minister Carney thanked President Erdoğan for Türkiye’s hosting of the Summit. The leaders underlined key NATO priorities, including strengthening defence industrial capacity across the Alliance, bolstering deterrence and collective defence efforts, and supporting Ukraine against Russia’s war of aggression.

The leaders discussed the Defence, Security and Resilience Bank (DSRB) and its potential to strengthen Allied defence industrial capacity and resilience. Prime Minister Carney welcomed Türkiye’s support for the DSRB and emphasised the Bank’s role in strengthening Allied defence production.

The Prime Minister and the President expressed interest in deepening partnerships in defence, critical minerals, energy, and advanced technologies, including aerospace. To this end, the leaders welcomed the launch of negotiations toward a Canada-Türkiye comprehensive free trade agreement. With bilateral trade between Canada and Türkiye reaching $4.3 billion in 2025, the agreement will unlock significant opportunities for businesses, workers, and investors in both countries.

The leaders discussed developments in the Middle East. Prime Minister Carney welcomed Türkiye’s diplomatic initiatives in the face of Russia’s continued aggression against Ukraine, including its facilitation of dialogue, humanitarian engagement, and prisoner exchanges.

Prime Minister Carney and President Erdoğan agreed to remain in close contact.

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