Mark Carney lands in Turkey to forge a new partnership as Canada looks beyond the US

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stepped foot in Turkey on Thursday for a two-day visit aimed at establishing a fresh partnership, as Canada seeks to lessen its reliance on the United States. The visit marks the first bilateral trip by a Canadian prime minister to Turkey, even though Carney visited Ankara in July to attend the NATO summit.

He is slated to converse with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other officials before journeying to Istanbul for discussions with Turkish business groups, as both nations endeavor to bolster trade ties.

Canada's Ambassador to Turkey, Marcel Lebleu, disclosed in an interview with Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency that the primary objective of the visit was to "launch a strategic partnership through a joint declaration by the two leaders." The talks will concentrate on collaboration in energy, nuclear power plants, sustainable mining, and the defense sector. Furthermore, negotiations on a free trade agreement between the two countries will be held, Lebleu added.

Turkey is in the process of constructing a second nuclear power plant along the Black Sea coast, alongside one currently being constructed by Russia’s Rusatom on the Mediterranean coast. In a reflection of improving relations, Canada lifted its ban on the export of weapons to Turkey in 2024, which it had imposed following Turkey's military interventions in Syria and Turkey's backing of Azerbaijan in its conflict against Armenia, including supplying equipment with Canadian-made components.

According to a statement from Carney’s office, two-way trade between Turkey and Canada has surged by 50% over the past five years. During the visit, Carney will highlight prospects to "expand that burgeoning trade relationship in priority areas, including energy, aerospace, advanced technologies, and mining and critical minerals."