Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to leave for Ankara on Monday to attend the annual NATO summit — the first visit by a Canadian prime minister to Turkey since 2015.
Turkey’s capital will make up the first leg of Carney’s week-long sojourn to the Middle East, which will conclude with a short stay in Saudi Arabia aimed at deepening trade and investment ties.
The July 7 and 8 NATO summit has been reduced in scale from the typical annual alliance gathering. What used to be two full days of meetings is now down to a dinner and one session where representatives of all member states will huddle.
Kerry Buck, Canada’s former ambassador to NATO, said this year’s gathering has been described as a “short, sweet summit to try avoid any drama,” given U.S. President Donald Trump’s propensity for disruption and insulting allies.
“This year’s meeting is, once again, primarily about managing the U.S. and keeping President Trump committed to the alliance,” she said.
“Because he likes, almost, autocrats better than allies, the fact that it’s being hosted by Turkey is not a bad thing. He’s got less of an incentive to explode the thing.”
This NATO summit is taking place shortly after the recent G7 summit in France, which went smoothly. Allies will hope for the same this week as they discuss their ambitions for higher military spending.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has said member states must present “credible” plans to meet the new alliance commitment of spending five per cent of national GDP on defence by 2035.
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Canadian government officials told reporters in a background briefing on Friday that Carney will take part in a discussion on financing the defence sector and talk up Canada’s progress on boosting defence spending at the summit.
Carney’s schedule of bilateral meetings had yet to be finalized, the officials said.
The first part of Carney’s trip will also shine a spotlight on Canada’s ties with the host country, a NATO ally.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has echoed the Canadian government’s argument that Europe should complement the military alliance without duplicating the work of NATO.
Chris Kilford, a former senior Canadian military attaché in Turkey, said Ottawa can work on securing trade benefits from Turkey but progress could stall over geopolitical issues.
“There are many things that can test this relationship. But for now, we seem to be on a very positive track, and I think it’s to the benefit of both countries,” he said.
Kilford, who leads the Victoria branch of the Canadian International Council, said Canada and Turkey are both trying to diversify their trading partnerships to prevent supply chain shocks.
Turkey, for example, recently expressed interest in Canadian nuclear technology to reduce its dependence on nuclear projects involving Russia.
The Carney government has set out four pillars of its relationship with Turkey: energy exports, economic opportunities and trade, defence and security, and people-to-people ties.
Global Affairs Canada views Turkey as an emerging market of broad interest to Canada, with opportunities for Canadian companies in agriculture, life sciences, mining and infrastructure.
Turkey has helped Ottawa evacuate Canadians from various Middle East crises and bring home activists detained by Israel for joining flotillas that sought to bring aid to Palestinians in Gaza.
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Canada and Turkey have had a tricky relationship in recent years, particularly over matters concerning Canada’s large Armenian diaspora.
Canada has long held that Turkey committed a genocide against Armenians a century ago, a claim that Ankara has repeatedly denied.
Ottawa also suspended arms sales to Turkey seven years ago over reports Turkey was diverting Canadian military components to Azerbaijan for use against Armenia and ethnic Armenians. Canada tightened those rules two years later, before dropping them.
Kilford said that resulted in Turkey’s “very lucrative” arms industry being cut off from Ontario-made surveillance and targeting sensors that had been installed in Turkish-made Bayraktar drones.
Instead, countries like Ukraine started buying the Canadian sensors and installing them in the Turkish drones.
Turkey has criticized Canada for granting asylum to many Turkish political dissidents — an uncommon move for countries that are military allies.
“As far as Turkey is concerned, though, we’re granting political asylum to terrorists. They don’t like it,” Kilford said, calling the country a flawed democracy.
Turkey has cancelled multiple LGBTQ+ events and the Committee to Protect Journalists says Turkey is among the top jailers of journalists.
Kilford said the vast majority of Turkish media outlets are “either directly or indirectly owned by the government or government supporters.”
Ahead of the summit, Turkey has erected “miles and miles of barricades” across Ankara, Kilford said, which allows motorcades to cross the city with ease and makes street protests more difficult.
The country is currently gripped by high inflation, he said. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has intervened in the country’s central bank, while many of his opponents have been jailed.
Kilford describes Turkey as an increasingly important state since it has maintained relative stability in a region experiencing great upheaval — from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the collapse of Syria’s dictatorship and the war Washington launched against Iran.
The country is touched by many major conflicts and by migration from Afghanistan and Syria.
Turkish Airlines, which Canada recently allowed to operate more flights, flies to hotspots most carriers won’t or can’t service, such as Kabul, Caracas and Mogadishu.
But Kilford said the Turkish government has long felt pushed to the periphery of geopolitical alliances like NATO and the European Union — which it has been trying to join for years.
I’m going to get on my knees and suck like my life depended on it
Carney knob gobbling with eurotrash elite
Trump’s gonna take a dump down all their throats
@Anonymous 10:21
Well said !!! I couldn’t agree more with your assessment of Carney’s double standards. He is after all a Liberal, and if Liberals didn’t have double standards they wouldn’t have any standards at all
I won’t won’t stop supporting my beloved liberals until I’m unemployed, homeless and lining up at the food bank. Like the other 3 million Canadians.
“Elbows up Forever”
Yep, no leadership there, just a bunch of failures no matter how they deflect.
Curious, because many of them were leaders during his last term and I gotta ask, did they all hit their heads and suffer brain damage?
Or, is this failure a culmination of their best strategy and now they are going back for more stupid?
Managing Trump?!? 🤣
US’s share/contribution to NATO far outweighs the EU’s combined contribution so pretty obvious why they want him to stick around. It’s all about money to keep the Ukraine-Russia war going as it’s an amazingly easy way to launder millions.
Trump is right not wanting to participate.
Hey Ben what about the meetings held when Germany and Japan came begging for our LNG and Carney as special economic advisor to Trudeau advised him that there was “no business case” for such deals? Were those meetings better or worse than all the travel Carney has done the last 15 months trying to now secure the exact same deals that he said just 3 years ago were no good? Because back then he was driven by his hatred for our resource sector, and was lobbying for carbon taxes.
By the way, speaking of great symbiosis, Japan went on to secure LNG from the Trump administration.
Carney is a liar and an opportunist. During the campaign to replace Trudeau he took credit for the work done by Flaherty who is not around to defend his legacy. So spare us from anymore of your bootlicking.
@Alamrin the research consistently shows that in person meetings are better than Zoom at relationship building and the sophisticated symbiosis required.
Have they forgotten about zoom calls???? Nice way to travel the world on the backs of taxpayers dollars!!!
Ben
July 6, 2026 at 4:08 am
According to the Atlantic Council, NATO figures, and a plethora of other sources, Harper cut military spending to less than 1% of GDP. Trudeau raised it to 1.35%. Carney raised it to 2.0%.
Yes Ben, Harper cut it because the world was fairly quiet. Didn’t need all the expense. Now all you warmongering f*scist azzholes have got control and the world is suddenly arming to the teeth. Go to h*ll troll.
You don’t manage Trump. Trump manages you. Nice headline global you liberal rag. Do better.
According to the Atlantic Council, NATO figures, and a plethora of other sources, Harper cut military spending to less than 1% of GDP. Trudeau raised it to 1.35%. Carney raised it to 2.0%.
First Ben is not correct, Harper was the first to put the North into play with expansion. But NATO Needs to take some accountability & the USA has a point they spend $900 Billion on NATO, All of NATO Spends about $650 BILLION, Why should the US PAY TO DEFEND EUROPE??? Trump is reducing Troops & should do more reductions, the European Countries make Billions more on the Troops Stationed their in Economic Benifits. They may hate Trump but come on show a little respect for what the USA is doing for their Benefit! TDS IS A DISEASE
Harper cut the military budget to below 1% of GDP. Trudeau raised it to 1.35% and Carney raised it to 2%. The only people complaining about Carney are the Poilievre conservatives who cut our military budget to below 1% of GDP. Hypocrisy!
Carney is an empty suit at NATO. He has nothing of substance to offer.
Funny that Canadians like Ben think virtue signalling and a “Speech” is getting something accomplished. Ben, do remember the saying “talk is cheap”.
Carney lusts after “hob-knobbing” with the European elite. Join up against Trump and see what they get – the USA joined with Russia?
Carney needs to step back and drop antagonizing the crybaby in the Whitehouse. His “middle powers” speech in Davos accomplished nothing. Take a page from the UK and Australia and say nothing.
Translation
The EU will find ways to manage Trump
Carney is there for the photo ops and the free food
His ‘fighting Trump “ for a year resulted in nothing at all
Interesting that Carney refused to provide the information that Canada is at 2% for NATO. With this deceptive behaviour one would assume his claims are not the truth.
Trudeau did nothing for a decade as a PM. Trump had to brow beat both Trudeau and Careny to get to 2% otherwise Canada would still be a NATO freeloader.
Harper cut the military budget just below 1% of GDP. Trudeau brought it up to 1.35%. Carney brought it to 2%. These figures show that under Liberal governments, military spending went up.
Ben forgets 10 years of Liberal failure under Trudeau and Carney. How convenient for Mr. Bootlicker
@Ben. Libs have been in Govt since 2015. They could have made 2% easily if they want to. Now, it seems the Liberals won’t show the proof they got to 2%.
NATO needs a waiter,, so Carney was invited.
Canada is not stepping up like the other NATO nations are. Also, Carneys grapes are sour as Trump is the Commander in Chief of the Worlds most powerful military and Carney has no role to pretend he can play.
Carney is a leader respected world wide because of his Davos speech. Canada is proud that under his leadership, we’ve reached 2%. It was difficult given Harper left our military in tatters.
Carney can visit every pride parade in Canada virtue signaling but the sad truth is he adores oppressive regime’s
Qatar, China now Turkey none will except homosexuality.
Sorry folks I say stupid things here everyday. Global has brainwashed me and all I know is orange man bad. I need meds. Can anyone help me get therapy? I’m a donkey.
The only way to manage Trump is with a bullet or arrest and jail.
Oh look. More travel for Carney. How much more is he going to pledge to the warmongering cowards at NATO?
Even Carneys wife doesn’t respect him.
All Carney has done in over a year is go “Elbows Up” and give his so-called “Davos” speech which he flip flopped on shortly after giving it. He has got nothing accomplished or added any value except lining the pockets of himself and his cronies.
Thanks for the chuckle of the day global,carney managing Trump 😆
@Ball room diva LOL I sure hit the button with you Eh. No I don’t like Trump … I just want a PM with a set of cahones that is able to do what he says, and THAT sure ain’t Carney. Have a great day !!!
@anonymous: trump makes gold statues of himself, thinks he’s Jesus, and frets over a reflecting pool. Not to mention Epstein and pedos. Lots of felonies.
But you love him. That’s on you.
Manage Trump ??? LMAO wasn’t Carney the great Trump whisperer that knew he could get a deal with Trump within a month of being elected ?? THAT didn’t turn out too well for Carney now did it ?? So he is going to get his gang onto that nasty Trump. As if THAT show of weakness will do anything. Carney …. “Guys, hey guys, that nasty Trump is ignoring me can we all just gang up on him.” All the rest “No Way, not me … not me either … nope not me… “ and so it goes with the great Carney con.
Ben the Scarecrow at it again !!!
Carney constantly disrespects Trump and wonders why Canada is so irrelevant. Carney has done a poor job improving the relationship with the USA and our most important trading partner and military ally
The President of Turkey will show respect to Trump. Both are very strong leaders, unlike Carney.
One Antisemitic PM meeting with a terror-regime enabler! Wonderful!
‘Managing Trump’. What a charged and insulting line. I’m sure it will be more of a combination of capitulating to and coping with the man who represents the most important participant in the organization. especially after its become evident NATO is only focussed on self service in and around Ukraine. Get ready to spend a lot more money
Ben brings out the Harper excuses….but, but, Harper. Meanwhile Carney has delivered on any of his election promises.
I wish Canadians could find out how much conman Carney’s gallavanting around the globe has cost taxpayers .
So sick of Trump nonsense.
Carney is all hat and no cattle at these NATO summits. Carney talks a good game but zero action or results. You can tell Carneys grapes are sour as Trump has a huge role as the Commander In Cheif of the US Armed Forces. Carney has no role.
@ Ben. Libs have been in Govt over a decade. All falls on their shoulders now. If Blackface wanted to improve the situation he could have, but in fact made it worse.
It’s really odd how the Poilievre conservatives forget how Harper cut military spending to the bone and it’s the Liberals who gave the military larger increases.
The National Post is 60% US owned by an entity with close ties with Republicans. They always are critical of Carney and that plays in favor of the USA, ie. to weaken Canada.
How much will Carney spend on in-flight catering for these trips? He seems to have a very good time on Canadas dime. No expense is spared.
How much do you think this trip is gonna cost with lavish in flight meals and drinks?
Good article in NP today on how Carney has done a poor job as PM and not kept his election promises to Canadians. I agree totally.
Well folks, I’m off again for another meeting where we just talk about stuff and do nothing concrete. The meetings are boring but the after party rocks.You should see the food and liquor they serve .Only the best for us.Sorry you’re grocery bills are so high but that’s really not my problem. You should have made better choices.
Or should I say “MAID” better choices. (LOL just a little Liberal Party Pun there)
Anyways “Flaps Up ” suckers !
P.S. Keep up the good work Ben,you are my Numero Uno Bootlicker, Bro !
See Ya
Carney has no leadership role in NATO. Also, Carney has no experience with Military/Armed Conflicts and Canada can’t add much bench strength to the Alliance.
Canada has not added value to NATO in a long time. While smaller countries contributed more (eg. Poland), Canada decided to be a freeloader and not contributed in a meaningful way to Alliance. Canada punched above its weight in the past but not so under Trudeau and Carney. Canada has a diminished standing and all self inflicted.
@John Canada will always have comparative advantage in some goods and services. Also our exchange rate makes up for higher taxes. Honestly I’m concerned about our productivity vis a vis the US and other nations. One way to improve it is to tax labor less and consumption more.
Ben. China is an export country. China provides goods at cheap prices Canada prices to produce manufactured goods is expensive Canada isn’t competitive because of the Liberal government and all the taxes, etc.
As an American, it is time to quit NATO. Canada has always been that little brother that demands he tag along. Little brother doesn’t realize he has become a problem. Good luck PM Carney finding a new big brother, you insulted the American people by acting offended when President Trump offered marriage. He was willing to share our wealth with Canada and take all of you. Canada, a cold country full of crippled seniors, alcoholics, drug addicts, and poor people. Thank God, oh I forgot Canada hates religion, too. Goodbye NATO!
@George our bilateral trade with Europe has increased by over 76% since CETA was signed years ago. I agree about shipping costs but what about China, Australia, etc. and their proximity to trading partners? Honestly, I have hope for the future despite barriers.
@Ben. Carney will reinforce nothing. Canada isn’t a leader in NATO.
Trade with Europe is flat. Shipping costs are a big problem.
Proud that Carney is meeting with real allies to deal with the unpredictable Trump and USA. He will reinforce transatlantic partnerships which will boost our trade with non-US nations.
Trump made freeloaders like Canada pay there fair share to NATO.
Trump is the best thing to ever happen to lazy journalists