Germany Approves Sale of 40 Eurofighter Jets to Turkey

Germany has agreed to supply Turkey with 40 Eurofighter Typhoon jets, with strict conditions ensuring they are used solely within NATO obligations and not against any fellow alliance member.

According to Der Spiegel, the German Federal Security Council has approved Ankara's request, originally submitted in March 2023, to acquire the advanced fighter jets. The aircraft will be primarily manufactured in the United Kingdom, with key components sourced from Germany.

The decision marks a shift in policy under the new government led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz. In June, Handelsblatt reported that Berlin was preparing to lift the previous export ban imposed during former Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s term.

That ban had been enforced in response to Turkey’s arrest of Istanbul’s suspended mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, a prominent figure in the opposition Republican People's Party.

The German approval reportedly comes with assurances from Ankara that the Eurofighter jets will not be used in conflict with other NATO members, particularly in light of historic tensions with Greece. 

Both Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, as well as the UK government, were informed of Berlin’s conditional greenlight.