‘Attack on Democracy’: Germany Blocks Eurofighter Sale to Turkey for Imprisoning Opposition Leader

Latest Developments

• Turkey Seeks to Modernize Air Force: Germany’s parliament blocked the sale of approximately three dozen Eurofighter Typhoon jets to Turkey on April 17, citing concerns over the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. Turkey sought to purchase the fighter jet to modernize its air force, but sales of the Eurofighter require unanimous approval from Germany, the U.K., Italy, and Spain, which jointly produce the plane. Germany has denounced Imamoglu’s arrest “an attack on Turkish democracy.”
• Talks to Return to F-35 Program: Following its removal from the F-35 program in 2019 over its purchase of the Russian-made S-400 air defense system, Turkey signed a deal in 2024 for 40 additional U.S.-made F-16s and modernization kits for its existing fleet, an order it later reduced once Ankara began eyeing a return to the F-35 program. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed Turkey’s reentry into the F-35 program during a phone call with President Donald Trump in March, while visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed the lifting of Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) penalties imposed on Turkey in 2020. Fidan also made the case for Turkey reentering the F-35 program along with delivering F-16s purchased by Ankara.
• Meeting With Hamas: Fidan and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin hosted a delegation of high-level officials from the Iran-backed terrorist group Hamas on April 19, among them Hamas political chief Muhammad Ismail Darwish and senior leader Khaled Mashal. Since Hamas’s October 7, 2023, atrocities in Israel, Erdogan has emerged as one of the most vocal adversaries of Israel, praying in public for divine intervention to “destroy and devastate Zionist Israel.”

FDD Expert Response

“Germany’s decision to block the Eurofighter sale is both the moral and right decision. It should serve as an example to the Trump administration before it even considers bringing Turkey back into the F-35 program. This is not a simple matter of selling weapons to a foreign state. A decision needs to be made over whether to sell strategic weapons to a state that is an ally only on paper. Those making it need to ask whether Erdogan could use such weapon systems to hurt U.S. interests and allies.” — Sinan Ciddi, Non-Resident Senior Fellow

“Americans and Europeans should not provide Erdogan significant new military capabilities until he stops threatening Greece, Cyprus, and Israel. When the October 7 terror attack put the choice clearly to Erdogan, he chose Hamas over the United States and Europe. That’s not exactly the kind of autocrat you want to provide with advanced new military capabilities.” — Bradley Bowman, Senior Director of FDD’s Center on Military and Political Power

“Erdogan’s recent moves to trample political opposition in Turkey are carrying consequences. The blocking of the Eurofighter deal should be a message that Ankara’s growing defense trade does not isolate it from international criticism. Erdogan cannot continue threatening Israel and expect business as usual.” — Tyler Stapleton, Director of Congressional Relations, FDD Action 

FDD Background and Analysis

“Erdoğan Sets His Sights on Israel,” by Reuel Marc Gerecht

“Time For a New Policy Toward Erdogan,” by Cameron McMillan, Sinan Ciddi, Bradley Bowman

“‘Destroy and Devastate Zionist Israel’: Turkish President Prays for Jewish State’s Destruction Amid Mass Protests,” FDD Flash Brief

“Hamas and Turkey: Partners in Terror,” by Jonathan Schanzer, Sinan Ciddi, Melissa Sacks, and Michael Rubin