UK PM Starmer Visits Türkiye for Eurofighter Deal

Ankara, Oct 27 (AP) British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Türkiye on Monday, aiming to advance negotiations on a multi-billion-dollar sale of Eurofighter Typhoon jets to enhance Ankara's air capabilities.

Starmer is scheduled to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss regional and bilateral issues.

In July, Türkiye and the UK signed a preliminary agreement for the Eurofighters, manufactured by a consortium consisting of the UK, Germany, Italy, and Spain, led by Britain's BAE Systems. The deal followed Germany's decision to lift its longstanding opposition to the sale of these jets to Türkiye.

Last week, Erdogan visited three Gulf nations to explore the potential acquisition of used Typhoons from Qatar and Oman. Türkiye considers the purchase of Eurofighters and other advanced jets as a temporary measure until its domestically developed fifth-generation KAAN fighter jet becomes operational, expected no earlier than 2028.

As a NATO member, Türkiye is also seeking reentry into the US-led F-35 fighter jet program. It was excluded in 2019 following its purchase of Russian-made S-400 missile defense systems, which were seen as a security threat to the F-35 program.

Erdogan raised the issue of F-35 jet sales during a recent meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House. Turkish officials have stated that Türkiye aims to acquire a total of 120 fighter jets — 40 Eurofighters, 40 US-made F-16s, and 40 F-35s — as a transitional fleet before the KAAN's entry into service.

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