Türkiye, UK sign 'landmark' Eurofighter jet deal

By Serdar Dincel and Beril Canakci

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed a Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet cooperation agreement in Ankara on Monday, marking a new milestone in bilateral defense relations.

President Erdogan described the agreement as a "new sign of Türkiye-UK strategic relations," asserting that it will pave the way for joint defense projects.

Speaking at a joint news conference, Starmer said: “This will bolster security across NATO, deepen our bilateral defense cooperation, and boost economic growth here and in the United Kingdom, securing 20,000 British jobs, building these state-of-the-art fighter jets.”

Turkish National Defense Minister Yasar Guler said Türkiye is planning to acquire Eurofighter Typhoons from several countries, including 20 from the UK and 12 each from Qatar and Oman.

Guler spoke to reporters following the meeting between Erdogan and Starmer, adding that the jets from Qatar could potentially arrive early next year.

-Bilateral relations

Starmer and Erdogan also announced the launch of the first-ever UK-Türkiye bilateral cooperation framework.

Starmer called it “a landmark moment reflecting the increasing depth and breadth of our existing cooperation and our ambition to go further.”

President Erdogan said: “We are committed to increasing our trade volume with the United Kingdom, initially to $30 billion and eventually to $40 billion. We are determined to strengthen our economic ties.”

Earlier, Starmer was welcomed with an official ceremony and co-chaired an inter-delegation meeting with Erdogan. He visited Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS) for a briefing on Türkiye's domestically produced fighter jet KAAN and inspected the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft involved in the deal.

-Gaza

Concerning regional issues, Erdogan congratulated the UK on its decision to recognize the state of Palestine, calling it a “bold step toward a two-state solution.”

Regarding the Gaza ceasefire, he said: “It is our collective responsibility to uphold the Gaza ceasefire; the Israeli government must be restrained.”