Germany’s Scholz signals closer defense cooperation with Türkiye

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has signaled a renewed commitment to defense cooperation with Türkiye during his recent visit to Istanbul, where he held a joint press conference with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Scholz highlighted the importance of Türkiye as a NATO member and discussed increasing military cooperation, including the potential delivery of defense equipment.

Increased defense collaboration between Germany, Türkiye

German media outlets widely covered Scholz’s visit to Türkiye, with major publications reporting on the shifting tone in defense cooperation between the two NATO allies.

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung noted that Scholz emphasized Türkiye’s role in NATO, indicating that Germany is ready to strengthen defense industry cooperation. This marks a change in the German government’s previous hesitancy regarding arms exports to Türkiye.

Scholz’s remarks come at a time when Türkiye’s relations with NATO and other international players are crucial, particularly given ongoing global tensions, such as Russia‘s aggression in Ukraine and concerns about U.S. foreign policy.

Germany’s defense exports to Türkiye expected to increase

The Welt newspaper reported that Scholz expressed Germany’s intent to increase defense exports to Türkiye, including potential sales of Eurofighter jets. “Türkiye is a NATO member, and we will continue making decisions that lead to concrete deliveries,” Scholz said during the press conference.

His comments indicate a growing willingness from Berlin to support Türkiye’s defense needs, despite previous concerns about regional stability.

Strategic realignment amid shifting geopolitics

The prospect of enhanced military ties between Germany and Türkiye has stirred debate in Europe, particularly in neighboring Greece. German media such as Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Deutschlandfunk highlighted that while Berlin’s decision may cause unease in Athens, Scholz praised the recent easing of tensions between Greece and Türkiye.

The broader strategic context of this shift includes the potential re-election of Donald Trump in the U.S. and the intensifying conflict in Ukraine. As Berlin reassesses its foreign relations, strengthening ties with Türkiye appears to be a critical element of its strategy to bolster NATO’s southern flank.

Economic ties strengthened alongside defense cooperation

Besides defense cooperation, Scholz and Erdogan discussed the importance of continuing strong economic relations.

The Tagesspiegel reported that Scholz was keen to emphasize the good economic relationship between the two countries.

Despite differing views on the Middle East, Scholz and Erdogan both expressed a shared desire to prevent these issues from hindering their nations’ bilateral relations.