Carney: The two most influential countries are Saudi Arabia and Turkey

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney paid an official visit to Saudi Arabia after attending the NATO Summit held in Ankara.

As part of his contacts, Carney met with Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the capital, Riyadh.

In a statement regarding his visit on his social media account, Carney said, "Canada and Saudi Arabia are transforming their economies; we are building on our strengths in energy, critical minerals, and artificial intelligence. Today, we signed new agreements that will enable employees and companies to share their expertise, implement larger projects together, and create more career opportunities and prosperity for our peoples." he said.

"The two most influential countries regarding potential solutions in the region are Saudi Arabia and Turkey"

Carney also made significant assessments regarding the NATO Summit in Ankara and his relations with Turkey during a press conference held in Saudi Arabia. The Canadian Prime Minister stated, "I met with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan within the scope of the summit. During our meeting, we agreed to initiate negotiations for a new free trade agreement that could increase trade between the two countries to the level of billions of dollars. We also signed new defense agreements that will increase our industrial capacity and employment in Canada."

Touching upon his visit to Saudi Arabia and his country's diplomatic steps in the Middle East, Carney added, "Canada has always attached great importance to the Middle East. Canada has supported a two-state solution since 1948. I can cite the two countries I visited on this trip as examples. The two most influential countries regarding potential solutions in the region are Saudi Arabia and Turkey. We need to engage with these countries, hold discussions with them, and work together. I became the first Canadian prime minister to meet with President Erdoğan in over a decade."