Canada’s Carney calls Türkiye, Saudi Arabia ‘most influential’ to potential Middle East solutions

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday pointed to Saudi Arabia, along with Türkiye, as among the “most influential” countries in shaping potential solutions in the Middle East, defending his government’s approach of direct engagement with Riyadh over public criticism.

“Two of the most influential countries with respect to potential solutions are Saudi Arabia and Türkiye,” Carney told reporters during a news conference in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, describing the two nations he visited on his current trip.

The prime minister said Canada “cared deeply about the Middle East” and stressed the need for direct dialogue with regional powers rather than criticism from a distance.

“We need to engage with these countries. We need to be speaking with them. We need to work with them,” he said, adding that such engagement does not mean Ottawa agrees with everything those governments do.

Asked why his government has avoided the public criticism of Saudi Arabia that marked ties under the previous administration, Carney argued that quiet engagement produces better results than public rebuke.

“I do see that lecturing countries from afar is an ineffective strategy,” he said, adding that “it’s satisfying, but it’s ineffective. Engagement can be effective. It doesn’t mean it’s always effective. Doesn’t mean it’s decisive, but it can be effective.”

“We care deeply about human rights. We care deeply about self-determination for nations. We care deeply about the territorial integrity of nations,” he said.

Carney said he raised outstanding issues with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during his visit to Ankara, crediting direct dialogue for a favorable outcome that he said would not have been possible from Ottawa.

The prime minister also pointed to Canada’s push to diversify its international partnerships, citing overreliance on the US as a key driver.

“We’re over-reliant on that. That’s been demonstrated. Every Canadian has very strongly recognized that, and we’re looking to diversify,” he said.