Prime Minister Chris Hipkins spoke to his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau on the phone for the first time today, discussing "shared priorities".
A spokesperson for Hipkins said the call "reaffirmed the close friendship" between the two countries, which was based on "shared interests and values".
The call had been rescheduled from earlier this month, due to the Cyclone Gabrielle response.
"The Prime Ministers discussed a number of shared priorities, including management of domestic issues, maintaining a secure Indo-Pacific region, climate change, the Christchurch Call, the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership - including UK accession, and their shared support for the international rules based order.
"They also spoke about Russia’s ongoing illegal and unprovoked war in Ukraine, and discussed their respective countries ongoing support of Ukraine’s self-defence," the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said Hipkins and Trudeau agreed to stay in close contact and "continue strengthening the strong partnership between New Zealand and Canada".
The spokesperson confirmed to 1News Hipkins undertook the call in his Taita electorate office.
Trudeau and Hipkins' predecessor Jacinda Ardern shared a close relationship.
After Ardern announced her resignation as prime minister in January, Trudeau spoke with her, thanking her "for her thoughtful and inspiring leadership, friendship, and valuable partnership while she was in office".
At the time, Ardern expressed a hope Canada and New Zealand would "continue working together as democratic partners on the global stage" under Hipkins, according to a press statement from Trudeau's office.
Trudeau and Ardern last meet in Bangkok in November last year, while visiting for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting.
In early February Hipkins travelled to Canberra to meet with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
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