Germany Pulls Back from Eurofighter
Germany is set to allow the supply of Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets to Saudi Arabia. According to German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, Germany will permit the delivery of more Eurofighter fighter jets to Saudi Arabia.
This decision comes after Berlin halted arms sales to Saudi Arabia following the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in 2018. Additionally, the supply of Eurofighter Typhoon warplanes to Saudi Arabia was blocked due to the war in Yemen.
The blocking of the Eurofighter Typhoon sale caused concern among the project partner countries, including the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain, as well as the German aviation industry. German CSU deputy Reinhard Brandl stated that the order was placed due to the obstacles against Saudi Arabia.
However, in a surprising turn of events, Germany has refused to allow Turkey to supply Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets. Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler announced that Turkey was in talks with England and Spain to purchase 40 Eurofighter Typhoon warplanes, but Germany opposed this idea.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed the issue during his visit to Germany, stating, “Whether Germany gives or not, is Germany the only one in the world that produces warplanes? We work on and supply these from many places.”
As discussions and negotiations surrounding the supply of Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets continue, both Germany’s decision to supply the jets to Saudi Arabia and its refusal to allow Turkey to acquire them have sparked debate and controversy within the international community.
