Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney calls Russia an enemy at NATO summit

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney attended the NATO summit in Ankara, meeting Turkish President Recep Erdogan and announcing the formal launch of free‑trade negotiations between the two governments. He also held bilateral talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and was slated for a trilateral meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Norwegian Prime Minister Gahr Store.

During a press briefing Carney described Russia as a "direct enemy" and said Canada will raise its defence budget by about 4 percent over the next two years, focusing on Arctic and North‑American capabilities. He noted the importance of a multinational defence bank and highlighted ongoing discussions about a submarine procurement programme for the Royal Canadian Navy. Carney also addressed questions on a possible U.S. NATO withdrawal and commented on recent Iranian actions in the Middle East.