Canadian PM Carney says Canada needs Turkish defense expertise and wants joint production as NATO allies deepen ties

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada needs Türkiye’s defense expertise and wants deeper industrial cooperation, including joint development of military technology, as the two NATO allies expand their strategic partnership.

Carney made the remarks Friday while speaking to reporters in Istanbul, a day after meeting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara during the first dedicated bilateral visit to Türkiye by a Canadian prime minister.

“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,” Carney said.

Asked whether Canada was interested in buying Turkish military capabilities, particularly drone technology, or pursuing industrial partnerships, Carney said: “The answer is both.” He added that he preferred cooperation in which Canadian and Turkish companies provide complementary technology and “build up together.”

Carney described Türkiye as one of the world’s most important geostrategic countries, pointing to its position between Europe and Asia, its military capabilities and its rapidly developed defense industry.

He said Türkiye now produces about 80% of its defense requirements domestically, contrasting that with Canada’s reliance on foreign suppliers and saying Ottawa had lessons to learn from Ankara about building domestic production capacity.

Canada and Türkiye on Thursday elevated relations to a strategic partnership covering defense, security, trade and energy. Ministers also signed a defense cooperation agreement intended to connect companies in both countries and strengthen NATO industrial capacity.

Carney separately rejected renewed suggestions that Canada could become part of the United States. “We will never be the 51st state,” he said. “We are going our own way. We’re preparing, we’re strong, and we’re getting stronger.”