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Türkiye and Canada will begin negotiations on a free trade agreement before the end of the year, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Thursday, as the two countries signed three agreements during the first bilateral visit to Türkiye by a Canadian prime minister.
Speaking at a joint news conference with Prime Minister Mark Carney in Ankara, Erdogan said the two sides also plan new projects in energy, trade, transportation and the defense industry. He said they hope to lift annual trade, now around $3 billion, to $5 billion at first and later to $10 billion.
After one-on-one talks and meetings between delegations at the Presidential Complex, Erdogan and Carney watched the signing of a defense sector partnerships memorandum of understanding, an air transport agreement and a joint declaration on energy cooperation.
Haluk Gorgun, head of Türkiye’s Defense Industries Agency, and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand signed the defense memorandum.
Anand also signed the air transport agreement with Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu. Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar and Canadian Energy Minister Tim Hodgson signed the energy declaration.
Erdogan said raising relations to the level of a strategic partnership would be more than a symbolic step on paper.
“We have today overcome the disconnect that had persisted between Türkiye and Canada for many years,” he said, adding that the two countries are “launching a new era.”
He said he would bring businesspeople together on his first visit to Canada.
Carney, for his part, said the two countries are launching a strategic partnership, and that the partnership would continue to grow “for generations to come.” He closed his remarks with the words “peace at home, peace in the world.”
Carney described Türkiye as “an exceptional partner” and said Canada seeks “collective resilience” rather than self-sufficiency, building deep partnerships with reliable allies. He said Türkiye has the second-largest standing military in NATO and one of the most “innovative” defense industries in the world. Canada and Türkiye are both NATO members.
He also said Türkiye plays “central roles” in resolving some of the world’s “most difficult conflicts,” naming Gaza, Ukraine and Iran.
Erdogan welcomed Canada’s sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements, saying Ankara considers the measures appropriate for deterring violations by Israel. He added that Türkiye hopes diplomatic efforts will lead to lasting peace in both Ukraine and the Gulf region.
Carney arrived in Ankara earlier on Thursday. In a post on X, he said the visit aimed to “elevate our partnership” and noted the chance to expand Canadian access to a Turkish market of more than 85 million people, creating opportunities for Canadian workers and businesses.
Erdogan welcomed him with an official ceremony at the Presidential Complex that included both national anthems and a 21-gun salute. The two leaders then held a bilateral meeting, followed by talks between their delegations and the joint news conference.
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