Türkiye eyes defense co-op with Germany: Erdoğan

ANKARA

Türkiye wants to strengthen cooperation with Germany on the procurement of defense industry products, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Oct. 19.

"We wish to improve our cooperation by leaving behind some of the problems previously experienced in the context of the supply of defense industry products," Erdoğan said in a joint news conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Istanbul.

Ankara and Berlin are also committed to combating terrorist groups, particularly PKK and FETÖ, he added.

"We have intensive relations with our NATO ally Germany in every field possible between two great states. The recent high-level visits between our countries are a clear manifestation of this situation," Erdoğan said, pointing out a previous visit in April by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

"The locomotive of these relations is our human ties and common interests."

Noting that more than 3.5 million Turkish people live in Germany and more than 6 million German tourists visit Türkiye every year, the president expressed hope for the further improvement of these figures.

"We built our talks today on this rich agenda. We discussed relations between our countries comprehensively in all dimensions. Our bilateral trade has reached $50 billion. Our goal is to reach $60 billion. We have increased our efforts to realize this goal," he added.

Since last year, Ankara has been seeking to purchase at least 40 Eurofighter jets, with the total package estimated at $5.6 billion.

The jets are produced by a consortium of countries consisting of Germany, Spain, Italy and the U.K. All support the sale except Germany, according to media reports.

On Israel's attacks in the region, Erdoğan said the country's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has an "expansionist mindset," clearly intending to extend the conflict beyond its current limits.

"Unfortunately, the human tragedy in the region continues. As I have stated many times before, it is imperative that we, as the international community, do our utmost to establish a permanent cease-fire, deliver humanitarian aid and put the necessary pressure on Israel," he stated.

"We expect all political actors with a conscience and prudence to take the initiative and say 'stop' to Israel's aggressive policies. As Türkiye, we will maintain the conscientious stance we have demonstrated since day one."

Flouting a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire, Israel has continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since an attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas in October last year.

Erdoğan said he and Scholz discussed Türkiye's expectations in its relations with the EU, considering Germany's key role in the 27-member bloc.

For his part, the German premier underlined the strong social bonds between his country and Türkiye, reinforcing the partnership between the two nations.

"Türkiye is an important political actor," he wrote on X. "Although we may not agree on every issue, it is important to engage in intense discussions regarding international disputes."