Jun 30, 2026 4:26 PM - Connect Newsroom - Ramandeep Kaur with files from The Canadian Press

Prime Minister Mark Carney will travel to Turkey next week to attend the NATO summit before making an official visit to Saudi Arabia, marking his first trips to both countries as prime minister.
NATO leaders are scheduled to meet in Ankara on July 7 and 8 as alliance members discuss increased defence spending and plans to meet a target of spending five per cent of gross domestic product on defence and security by 2035. The benchmark follows years of pressure from the United States for member countries to increase military spending.
According to the Prime Minister's Office, Carney has been urging allies ahead of the summit to support the creation of a multinational defence bank aimed at financing growth in the defence sector.
Following the NATO meeting, Carney is expected to meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss expanding trade and investment ties between Canada and Saudi Arabia.
The Prime Minister's Office said the trip will mark the first visit to Saudi Arabia by a Canadian prime minister in 26 years and the first prime ministerial visit to Turkey in more than a decade.




