Newsletters
Germany agreed to begin negotiations for the sale of Eurofighter combat jets to Türkiye, with Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul scheduled to discuss the deal on Friday in Ankara, German Foreign Ministry officials announced.
The German government gave a positive response to Airbus's request to negotiate the sale of Eurofighters to Türkiye, ministry spokesperson Josef Hinterseher said in Berlin.
"These aircraft are used for joint defense purposes within NATO," he said.
Wadephul will meet Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Oct. 17 to discuss the potential arms deal alongside Gaza humanitarian issues, marking the German minister's first visit to Ankara, Hinterseher confirmed.
Wadephul addressed Greek concerns about the fighter jet sale in an interview with Greek newspaper Ta Nea, emphasizing that deployment against NATO or EU members would be "unthinkable."
"It is correct that the federal government recently decided positively on a preliminary inquiry from Airbus to negotiate with Türkiye about the delivery of Eurofighters," Wadephul told the Greek publication.
"These aircraft are part of a NATO system—they serve collective defense and should increase the security of all European partners," he noted.
The German minister assured Greece of Germany's position on sovereignty disputes: "The sovereignty of Greece over its islands is completely beyond question for us. We stand on this issue, I want to say unequivocally, in full solidarity at Greece's side."
Wadephul stressed the importance of NATO cohesion amid regional tensions, particularly regarding Russian threats. "Never has it been more important than today that we as NATO allies stick together and pull in the same direction," he said.
Addressing Türkiye's potential participation in the European defense instrument "SAFE," which Greece opposes due to Türkiye's casus belli, Wadephul acknowledged different perspectives.
"I understand why Greece looks at possible participation of Türkiye from a different perspective. Understanding this better is an important concern of my visit to Athens," he said.
The minister confirmed he met with Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis to discuss strengthening European defense capabilities "without endangering the trust of our close partners."
The Gaza situation will be a primary topic during Friday's Ankara meeting, according to Hinterseher. "The rapid improvement of the humanitarian situation after the rescue of surviving prisoners and the implementation of other points of the 20-point plan are among the priority issues," the spokesperson said.
Germany's decision comes after the government cleared the way in July for potential delivery of 40 Eurofighter jets to Türkiye, with assurances to Greece that the weapons systems would contribute to regional stability and NATO alliance strength.
"The common understanding is clear: These fighter aircraft will be used exclusively to strengthen NATO as a defense alliance and to secure safety in the region," Wadephul stated, confirming consultations with other Eurofighter program nations Britain, Italy and Spain.
The German minister encouraged both Greece and Türkiye to continue their recent course toward détente. "That Greece and Türkiye have taken a course of relaxation in recent years is groundbreaking. I encourage both sides to continue this path," he concluded.
2 min read
3 min read
