Türkiye, Canada seek to elevate ties to strategic level ahead of NATO summit: Turkish FM Fidan

Türkiye and Canada are working to elevate ties to a strategic level, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Friday following talks with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand in Ottawa.

Speaking at a joint news conference, Fidan said both NATO allies are seeking to unlock long-underutilized cooperation potential across trade, defense, energy and global diplomacy, noting Anand's visit to Türkiye in March and describing their earlier talks as productive.

"There are major areas of cooperation between Türkiye and Canada that have not been fully realized for years," he said. "Despite being two major NATO allies, we have not advanced our potential in certain areas to the level we desire."

Fidan said Türkiye will host Prime Minister Mark Carney, Anand and Canadian Defense Minister David McGuinty at the NATO summit in Ankara in two weeks, and that Carney is also expected to soon visit Türkiye.

"This summit will truly be a historic one because international geopolitical conditions have reached a point where decisions taken by NATO member states will be even more decisive during this period. This is important not only for the future of the alliance, but also for the future of our region," he said.

He said leaders will discuss NATO's future, including aligning strategic priorities, addressing transatlantic differences, threat perceptions and the alliance's readiness.

Fidan said the Russia-Ukraine war and other conflicts have heightened awareness among NATO members about defense industry capabilities, making the issue a top strategic priority for the alliance.

-'We are not taking our eyes off Gaza'

Alongside ties, Fidan said Türkiye and Canada exchanged views on major regional and global developments.

On the US-Iran ceasefire, Fidan welcomed the agreement and described its expansion to Lebanon as a positive step.

He stressed the need to ensure lasting, uninterrupted freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, saying Türkiye will continue contributing actively to US-Iran negotiations.

Fidan also warned that Israel must not be allowed to sabotage the process and urged all parties to act with caution and prudence.

Turning to the Gaza Strip, he said Türkiye remains focused on the humanitarian crisis.

"We are not taking our eyes off Gaza," he said, accusing Israel of failing to fulfill its obligations and obstructing humanitarian aid deliveries.

Fidan reiterated Türkiye's readiness to host renewed peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, stressing that Ankara wants the war to end through dialogue and in line with international law.

"In this context, we are ready to once again bring Russian and Ukrainian delegations together at the negotiating table in our country," he said.

- Free trade talks underway

Fidan announced that preliminary talks toward a Türkiye-Canada Free Trade Agreement have begun.

"Preliminary discussions on a Türkiye-Canada Free Trade Agreement have been launched between our relevant institutions. We aim to move this forward as soon as possible," he said.

He said both sides expect a trade deal to significantly increase the trade volume and create new opportunities for economic cooperation.

Fidan said energy cooperation, particularly in nuclear energy, emerged as a major area of strategic opportunity.

Referring to his visit to the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station in Toronto with Anand, Fidan said Türkiye closely examined Canada's technological capabilities in conventional nuclear power and small modular reactors (SMRs).

"Türkiye is a country seeking to expand its nuclear energy capacity, and we are in intensive discussions with international partners on nuclear power plant construction," he said.

Fidan highlighted Canada's progress in SMR technology, saying it had particularly impressed Ankara and could pave the way for strong Türkiye-Canada cooperation in nuclear energy.

He said Türkiye has made significant progress in green energy, but rising industrial demand cannot yet be met at the desired speed and cost.

Türkiye has also made substantial progress in its long-term nuclear energy strategy and is continuing efforts for a second and third nuclear power plants, he said, describing the strategic alignment with Canada in this area as highly important.

He added that both countries also see strong cooperation potential in critical minerals and liquefied natural gas.

"We aim to further develop and deepen our cooperation in the defense industry as well," said Fidan.

Asked whether Canada's special residency and work permit measures for Turkish citizens following the Feb. 6, 2023, earthquakes were discussed, Fidan said visa, work permit and migration-related issues were comprehensively addressed during the talks with Anand.