Germany blocked the sale of Eurofighter jets to Turkey
The German government has decided to halt the sale of Eurofighter jets to Turkey. This decision was made following the arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu, the mayor of Istanbul and a candidate in the presidential elections.
According to reports, the coalition of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the Green Party, which is transitioning power to the new German government, has halted this deal. German government sources state that Turkey’s treatment of İmamoğlu is the main reason behind this decision.
Olaf Scholz, Chancellor of Germany, announced during his visit to Istanbul in October 2024 that the Eurofighter sales process had begun. He emphasized that Turkey is a NATO member and that this decision could lead to the delivery of the fighter jets. Scholz made significant efforts to secure the support of the German government in this matter, and even the ministries of foreign affairs and economy had approved the deal. However, Erdoğan’s treatment of İmamoğlu caused these efforts to be unsuccessful.
The Christian Union parties (CDU/CSU) have shown more inclination towards approving this deal compared to the Social Democratic Party. They believe that the interests of the member countries of the Eurofighter consortium should also be considered. On the other hand, the Social Democratic Party has proposed that Germany’s future prime minister negotiate with Erdoğan and set İmamoğlu’s release as a condition for the sale of the fighter jets.
Turkey plans to purchase 40 Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets and continues negotiations with the United Kingdom, which has agreed to sell these aircraft. The Turkish Ministry of Defense has announced that Britain has submitted its sales proposal, and the matter is still under review.
