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Canada needs Turkish expertise to strengthen its defenses and reduce its reliance on foreign military systems, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated Friday, a day after meeting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara.
When asked whether they were interested in purchasing military capabilities or Turkish military technology, or if this was more of an industrial partnership, Carney responded, "As much as possible, both. I think I would lean more towards the 'partnership' side, where we offer complementary technologies and develop together."
Carney cited the defense cooperation between Türkiye and Ukraine as an example, saying, "There is a really effective partnership between Türkiye and Ukraine, and Türkiye is one of Ukraine's biggest supporters."
The Canadian prime minister also pointed to disruptions in Ukraine's Starlink satellite service, warning that relying on a single provider could put a country’s security at risk. Ukraine reported on Friday that it was still having problems using the Starshield military communications service, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump said tech titan Elon Musk had restored access.
"As of this morning, instances of signal loss are still being observed," a source in the defense ministry told reporters, adding, "There is currently no confirmation that the restrictions have been lifted."
Speaking to reporters, Carney said Canada is interested in both Turkish military technology and joint industrial partnerships, with an emphasis on developing capabilities together.
Carney said he favors building capabilities jointly rather than simply buying equipment.
"I would lean towards the partnership end of the spectrum, where we’re providing complementary technology and we’re building up together," Carney said.
He was more direct when asked whether Canadian companies could benefit from closer ties with Türkiye’s established defense industry, particularly its expertise in drones and autonomous systems.
"Candidly, we’re in a position where we’re more in need of Turkish expertise in terms of reinforcing what we need to do to protect Canadians and to serve as a full NATO ally at this stage," he said.
Carney described Türkiye as "a unique country," possessing a "deep history" while being "cutting-edge modern."
"Türkiye is a formal partner of Canada in NATO, and one of the most important geostrategic countries, not just in this region but in this world," he said.
On Thursday, Carney and Erdogan announced the elevation of ties to a strategic partnership during the first bilateral visit to Türkiye by a Canadian prime minister.
The move marks a significant thaw in relations that had long been cool over Canadian concerns about human rights and a past embargo on weapons shipments to Türkiye. Carney is seeking new trade partners to reduce reliance on the U.S., where President Donald Trump has imposed sweeping tariffs.
The partnership covers trade and investment, defense and security, energy, and social and diplomatic ties. Carney said it would have four pillars and a three-year action plan.
"Our goal is not self-sufficiency; it is collective resilience, and that’s why Canada is building deeper partnerships with reliable partners that create new opportunities for us both, and in Türkiye, we have an exceptional partner," Carney told a joint news conference.
He described Türkiye as having NATO’s "second-largest standing military" and one of the world’s most "innovative defense industries."
"Security cooperation goes deeper because Türkiye's influence extends broadly," Carney said, noting that Türkiye plays central roles in resolving the world's "most difficult conflicts," including Gaza, Ukraine and the Iran war.
"We’ve planted the seeds of something new: a strategic partnership that will create new opportunities for our workers and businesses, and greater security and prosperity for both our peoples. With care and commitment, it will grow for generations to come," the Canadian prime minister stated.
He then quoted the founding motto of the Turkish Republic in Turkish: "Peace at home, peace in the world."
Carney said two-way trade jumped 50% over the past five years, though he agreed with President Erdogan that current volume has "barely begun to tap the potential."
"We hope to increase our trade volume, which currently stands at around $3 billion, to $5 billion initially and then to $10 billion through steps we will take," the Turkish president said.
Carney said Canadian and Turkish trade teams will begin a first round of free trade talks next month in Ankara to remove market barriers and reduce business costs.
Türkiye accounts for less than 0.3% of Canada’s merchandise trade, or CA$4.34 billion ($3.09 billion), while Canada sends nearly 70% of its exports to the U.S.
President Erdogan and Carney oversaw the signing of three agreements: a memorandum of understanding on defense sector partnerships, an air transport agreement and a joint declaration on energy cooperation.
"Today’s new agreement on defense industry partnership will connect Canadian and Turkish companies to work together, creating good jobs at home, export opportunities abroad, greater security for our citizens, and contributing to a stronger NATO alliance," Carney said.
He added that in an increasingly divided world, alliance members must rely on one another for protective equipment.
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