Merz calls Turkey ‘extremely valuable NATO partner,’ but Eurofighter deal still on hold

New German chancellor Friedrich Merz has described Turkey as an “extremely valuable and important partner” and vowed to deepen defense cooperation with NATO member country but has left the potential sale of Eurofighter jets to Turkey in limbo, German Frankfurter Rundschau reported.

Merz’s remarks came during his inaugural visit to NATO headquarters in Brussels on Friday.

“NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and I are both firmly determined to keep Turkey closely integrated as one of NATO’s major member states,” Merz said at a joint press conference with Rutte.

The German chancellor, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), was elected in the second round of voting in the Bundestag, the lower house of the German parliament, on May 6.

Merz said Turkey safeguards a region in NATO territory whose strategic importance “cannot be overstated.”

“I will do everything I can to maintain and expand this partnership within NATO,” he added.

Turkey, a NATO member since 1952, plays a significant role in the alliance, contributing to its security and stability, particularly on its southeastern flank. Turkey considers NATO membership vital to transatlantic ties and Euro-Atlantic security, actively participating in crisis management and peacekeeping missions.

Eurofighter deal still uncertain

Merz also announced plans to accept an invitation from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to visit Turkey in the near future. However, he said that no decision has yet been made by the German government regarding the potential export of Eurofighter Typhoon jets to Turkey.

Ankara has requested the purchase of 40 Eurofighter jets, a deal that requires approval from all partner nations involved in the European consortium, including Germany.

Under the previous administration, Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition government had halted the proposed sale, according to a report by German business daily Handelsblatt. The decision was reportedly linked to the imprisonment of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a leading opposition figure and potential challenger to Erdoğan.

İmamoğlu was arrested in March on corruption charges that critics say are politically motivated. His detention sparked nationwide protests and drew condemnation from Germany, which called the arrest an “attack on Turkish democracy.”

From his prison cell in Silivri, İmamoğlu issued a statement urging the incoming German government not to block the aircraft delivery. “These jets are urgently needed by our air force and have long been expected,” he said in a post on X. “Turkey is not just Erdoğan. Turkey is bigger than Erdoğan.”

“Governments come and go. Turkey’s national interests are more valuable than either Erdoğan or İmamoğlu,” he added.

Merz reiterated that the new government has yet to make a final decision on the matter.