The German government has denied reports claiming it blocked the sale of Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets to Türkiye, following a report by the financial daily Handelsblatt.
The newspaper suggested Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s outgoing government vetoed the Eurofighter sale in retaliation for the late March arrest of opposition CHP member Ekrem Imamoğlu on corruption charges, sparking political debate, Caliber.Az reports, citing Turkish media.
However, Tim-Niklas Wentzel, a spokesperson for the Economic Affairs and Climate Action Ministry, stated on April 24 that the acting government had not made any decisions concerning the sale of the Eurofighters to Türkiye.
"The interim government will not preemptively decide on the future government's stance regarding the export of weapons and equipment," Wentzel explained to Anadolu Agency (AA).
Wentzel clarified that the new government, set to take office next month under Chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz, would ultimately make decisions on the matter.
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a product of a consortium comprising Germany, the UK, Italy, and Spain, represented by Airbus, BAE Systems, and Leonardo. Türkiye has been in negotiations to purchase up to 40 of these jets to strengthen its air force. Although Germany initially opposed the deal, it moved closer to approving it earlier this year.
Despite having NATO's second-largest army, Türkiye has faced arms embargoes in the past, prompting it to boost its domestic defence capabilities. Over the last two decades, the country has significantly reduced its dependence on foreign arms, developing a range of weapons systems, including drones, missiles, and naval vessels.
In line with this strategy, Türkiye is also working on its fifth-generation fighter jet, named Kaan, aimed at replacing the ageing fleet of F-16s. The mass production of Kaan is expected to begin in 2028, with plans to phase out the F-16s starting in the 2030s.
By Aghakazim Guliyev
Source: caliber.az
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