Türkiye and Canada agreed Thursday to elevate their bilateral ties to a strategic partnership and deepen cooperation in trade, energy and defense during the first official visit to Türkiye by a Canadian prime minister.
Following their talks in Ankara, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the move at a joint press conference.
“We are elevating our relations with Canada to the level of a strategic partnership,” Erdogan said, describing the move as the start of a new era in bilateral relations after years of limited engagement.
Carney also said the two countries were launching a strategic partnership.
Erdogan said the two sides had signed a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation and would seek to develop new projects in energy, transportation, trade and the defense industry.
The visit comes as Ottawa seeks to diversify its economic partnerships amid trade tensions with the United States. ■