Physical Address
Indirizzo: Via Mario Greco 60, Buttigliera Alta, 10090, Torino, Italy
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is scheduled to make his inaugural visit to Türkiye on Oct. 30, with a busy agenda including defense cooperation, European Union relations and migration talks, officials in Berlin said.
A German government spokesperson, speaking to DW Turkish anonymously, said discussions in Ankara will cover bilateral ties, foreign policy, economic cooperation and security. The two leaders are also expected to hold a joint news conference following their meeting.
Among the key topics on the table is Türkiye’s potential participation in the European Security Action (SAFE) program, which is an EU initiative aimed at strengthening defense capabilities and reducing dependence on U.S. military supplies.
“Germany is a strong advocate of close cooperation between the EU and NATO. This also applies to the SAFE initiative, which includes open provisions allowing third countries to participate. Our common goal is to strengthen the European pillar of NATO,” the spokesperson said.
SAFE, adopted by EU leaders in May, will provide competitively priced, long-term loans to accelerate urgent defense procurement. It forms part of the European Commission’s ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030, aiming to mobilize over 800 billion euros in defense spending. While the loans will only be available to EU member states, Ukraine and EEA-EFTA countries will also be eligible to participate in joint procurement under the scheme.
Türkiye, with its strong drone, ammunition and armored vehicle production capacity, is viewed as a potential partner capable of filling Europe’s defense gaps quickly. However, Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration have opposed Ankara’s inclusion, citing ongoing disputes in the Aegean and the island of Cyprus. Approval from all EU members is required for Türkiye’s entry.
The long-discussed sale of Eurofighter jets to Türkiye will also be on the agenda. Ankara first expressed interest in 2023 and German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul recently said he expects an agreement to be signed by the end of this year. Some media outlets reported that Türkiye and the U.K. would finalize a deal for the acquisition of Eurofighter Typhoon jets during the British Prime Minister’s visit to Ankara on Monday.
Regarding Germany’s stance on Türkiye’s EU accession, the government spokesperson noted: “Türkiye is an important ally within NATO and a close partner of the European Union. We are working to advance EU-Türkiye relations. Therefore, even though accession negotiations are currently suspended, we continue to hold high-level dialogues on trade, migration and security. We want EU-Türkiye relations to deepen further,” expressing support for Türkiye’s membership goal.
On the other hand, during a press briefing last week at the chancellery, it was confirmed that the issue of Syrian refugees would also be on the table in the Merz-Erdoğan meeting. Deputy Government Spokesperson Sebastian Hille told reporters that the matter of Germany’s deportation plans to Syria “is an issue that concerns us in our relations with Türkiye,” without providing further details.
