Carney plans first dedicated Türkiye visit to cut US trade reliance

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will visit Ankara and Istanbul from Oct. 21 to 23, 2026, the first dedicated bilateral visit to Türkiye by a Canadian prime minister. He is expected to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara on energy, mining, climate, defense and security, and interpersonal ties, then meet Turkish business leaders and investors in Istanbul. Carney's office said he "will emphasize opportunities to expand that growing trade relationship in priority sectors, including energy, aerospace, advanced technologies, and mining and critical minerals." Free-trade negotiations were formally launched during the July 2026 NATO summit in Ankara, and trade ministers have agreed to accelerate them. Carney aims to double Canada's non-U.S. trade over the next decade. Investing.com reported U.S.-Canada trade negotiations broke down in August 2026. Bilateral trade rose 50 percent over five years, per Canadian Press, and hit C$4.3 billion in 2025, per the PMO. Türkiye is one of 10 founding members of Canada's Defence, Security and Resilience Bank. Canadian Press reported Turkey is considering Canadian nuclear-energy technology and that LGBTQ+ groups criticized Canada for not joining European peers in condemning raids on Turkish minority-advocacy organizations.