Germany blocks Eurofighter sale to Türkiye over İmamoğlu arrest

The German business newspaper Handelsblatt wrote that the SPD-Greens coalition government, which is preparing to hand over its duties to the new CDU-SPD coalition government in Germany, blocked the sale of Eurofighter type fighter jets to Türkiye.

Citing numerous sources familiar with confidential discussions among government members, Handelsblatt stated that the arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was cited as the reason for the veto decision on the Eurofighter sale to Türkiye.

The report noted that Berlin sharply criticized President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan due to İmamoğlu’s arrest, describing it as an “attack on Turkish democracy.” For this reason, it was stated that the government found it appropriate to halt the arms trade.

According to information obtained “from within” the newspaper, the incumbent Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) personally made efforts in recent years to alleviate concerns regarding the delivery of Eurofighters to Türkiye.

Significant progress had been made in confidential talks with Erdoğan, and the approval process was “on track.” According to reports, the Foreign and Economy ministries, led by the Greens, had already given their approval, which they had previously approached with skepticism.

However, İmamoğlu’s arrest dealt a blow to the process. Handelsblatt wrote that the internal political tensions in Türkiye put Germany in a difficult position, stating, “On the one hand, Berlin is trying to maintain good relations with the Turkish government, which plays an important role in both the Middle East and the war in Ukraine. On the other hand, the autocratic tendencies in Türkiye make relations with the government in that country difficult.”

Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who is preparing to hand over his duties to CDU leader Friedrich Merz, officially announced during his visit to Istanbul on October 19, 2024, that they had given initial approval for the Eurofighter sales process to begin.

Scholz stated that the process, led by the United Kingdom, was at the beginning and that negotiations would move the process forward.

Eurofighter exports will likely also be a burden for the future “black-red” federal government consisting of CDU/CSU and SPD. The parties promised in their coalition agreements to overcome difficult internal discussions regarding arms exports.

The coalition document states, “Export control licenses must be reviewed more quickly and in a more coordinated manner. [The aim is] to harmonize European arms export regulations.”

This is particularly important for the Eurofighter, as the fighter jet is a joint project between Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. There has been a dispute within the consortium for years due to Berlin’s restrictive stance on arms exports.

The newspaper considers it likely that the CDU/CSU is more inclined to approve the export than the SPD. According to the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, the interests of the partner countries in the Eurofighter consortium should be taken into account.

On the other hand, the SPD believes that CDU leader Friedrich Merz will hold talks with Erdoğan and use the Eurofighters as leverage for İmamoğlu’s release.

The Turkish government plans to purchase a total of 40 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft. Ankara plans to purchase 20 Typhoon aircraft from the first series, known as Tranche 1, from the UK early next year. This will be followed by the purchase of 20 ultra-modern Typhoon Tranche 4 aircraft. These facilities are expected to be operational by 2030.

Negotiations with the British, who have agreed to the sale, are already underway. A concrete offer was submitted to Ankara in March. According to the Ministry of Defense, this offer is currently being reviewed. Beyond this, Berlin remains tight-lipped.

The ministry states in principle that the Turkish Air Force needs all types of fighter jets to be operational. However, with Donald Trump’s return to the White House, the issue could take a different turn. According to Handelsblatt, Türkiye could once again pin its hopes on F-35s and modern US-made F-16s.

The CDU/CSU and SPD coalition agreement promises a “strategically oriented arms export policy that gives confidence to the German security and defense industry, its foreign partners, and customers.”

Indeed, after years of restrictions, Türkiye once again became one of the largest customers of the German defense industry last year. According to provisional figures, defense equipment worth approximately 231 million euros was delivered to the country, including torpedoes, guided missiles, and parts for submarines.

This placed Türkiye in fifth place among Germany’s customer countries. In the 2020-2024 period, Germany was Türkiye’s third-largest supplier of defense equipment after Spain and Italy. The US ranked fourth.