Türkiye and Canada have formally launched negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA), Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's office said on Tuesday.
"The technical teams from both countries will undertake the necessary work to define the scope and ambition of the agreement and prepare for the first round of negotiations," the office said in a statement.
The move follows an agreement last month by Canadian and Turkish trade ministers to begin exploratory discussions aimed at concluding a free trade deal.
The statement came shortly after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan received Carney for talks ahead of the NATO summit in the capital Ankara.
Erdoğan and Carney discussed bilateral ties as well as regional and global developments, Communications Directorate said in a statement.
During the meeting, Erdoğan said Türkiye and Canada should intensify efforts to strengthen cooperation in the new era ahead, particularly in trade, security, the defense industry, and energy, adding that making use of cooperation potentials would benefit both countries.
The president also reiterated Ankara's support for strengthening NATO's European pillar but stressed that such efforts should not replace the "transatlantic bond."
Erdoğan also said that non-EU allies should be included in the European Union's defense initiatives, said the statement.
This is the first visit by a Canadian premier to Türkiye in 11 years.
At the summit, Carney is expected to further strengthen Canada's contributions to the defense alliance, forge new partnerships, and build shared security, including for Ukraine.
