 to Turkey this year, marking the highest level since 2006, as Berlin resumes issuing export permits on a larger scale after years of restrictions, the German Handelsblatt newspaper reported on Thursday.){kind=link}
Germany has approved arms exports worth 230.8 million euros ($250 million) to Turkey this year, marking the highest level since 2006, as Berlin resumes issuing export permits on a larger scale after years of restrictions, the German Handelsblatt newspaper reported on Thursday.
The German government for the first time in years has given a green light for large-scale arms exports to NATO ally Turkey. The decision was made by the Federal Security Council, chaired by Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
According to a list seen by Der Spiegel, weapons manufacturer MBDA will supply Turkey with 100 guided missiles for ship air defense, while Thyssenkrupp’s Marine Systems will deliver 28 SeaHake DM2A4 torpedoes worth 156 million euros.
Various German consortia have been approved to supply material packages for modernizing Turkish U209 submarines for 79 million euros, along with engine parts for Turkish corvettes and frigates worth 1.9 million euros. The total arms exports are expected to reach around 336 million euros.
According to a response from the Federal Ministry of Economics to a parliamentary inquiry by German lawmaker Sevim Dağdelen, the approved exports consist of 79.7 million euros in combat weapons and 151.1 million euros in other military equipment.
Under German law, defense contractors must obtain government approval before selling weapons and military equipment developed in the country to foreign buyers. The German government evaluates these applications based on international law and current political conditions, with arms sales to NATO member states typically receiving expedited consideration.
In recent years, Berlin had drastically reduced all arms exports to Turkey amid tensions in relations caused by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s policies against critics in the country and military operations targeting Kurdish groups in Syria and Iraq.
Turkey had criticized Germany’s previous stance as a “veiled embargo,” pointing to restrictions on arms sales. The German government began lifting these restrictions in October.
Chancellor Scholz defended the deliveries during a visit to İstanbul. “Turkey is a member of NATO, which is why we repeatedly make decisions that lead to concrete deliveries. That goes without saying,” he said after talks with Turkish President Erdoğan. Scholz expressed openness to the delivery of Eurofighter jets, pointing to ongoing talks between the UK and Turkey.
The decision comes amid reports of a deal between Turkey and Germany regarding the deportation of Turks whose asylum applications in Germany were rejected. According to the German Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper, more than 13,500 Turks will gradually be deported to Turkey, though the Turkish government has denied these reports.