After initial opposition under Scholz, Berlin now appears open to the export of Eurofighter jets to Turkiye, Handelsblatt has reported post-NATO summit.
Germany may soon approve the long-blocked sale of Eurofighter Typhoon jets to Turkiye, according to a report published by Handelsblatt one day after the NATO summit in The Hague. The newspaper cited high-level government and industry sources who said Berlin's stance on the export is shifting under the newly formed CDU-SPD coalition led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
The previous government, made up of Social Democrats, Greens, and Liberals, had blocked the UK-led deal for around 40 aircraft in April 2025, partly in response to political tensions over the imprisonment of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. The new government now appears more open to the transfer, with expectations rising in Berlin and Ankara that the agreement could soon materialise. German daily Handelsblatt was first to write that Berlin would block the deal at that time.
Chancellor Merz, who met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the sidelines of the NATO summit, described Turkiye as a “crucial ally” and expressed his intention to deepen cooperation. The Eurofighter consortium, composed of Germany, the UK, Italy, and Spain, requires unanimous approval from all partners for any export. While the UK formally offered the jets in March, Germany's previous veto had stalled the process.
For Airbus Defence and Space, the consortium’s industrial backbone based in Munich, the Turkish order could be vital. With a 46% stake in Eurofighter production, Airbus is under pressure to sustain production lines, especially as American platforms like the F-35 continue to dominate the global fighter market with over 3,000 orders.
Officials in Berlin also reportedly view the deal as a strategic opportunity to bind Turkiye closer to Europe industrially. Unlike past orders involving American jets like the F-16, a Eurofighter deal would mark Ankara’s entry into a major European programme.
Author: Özgür Ekşi
