Erdogan in Germany to seek jets and trade deals

Turkish President, Tayyip Erdogan, arrived in Berlin for discussions with German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, on Friday, aiming to find common ground on trade, migration, and defense, despite differing views on Israel and Moscow’s incursion into Ukraine, as per Reuters. Erdogan’s visit, his first since 2020, coincides with upcoming municipal elections in which he seeks to regain control of Ankara and Istanbul. Scholz’s support for improved access to the European Union market and visa liberalization would be a significant boon for voters grappling with high inflation and an economic crisis. A spokesperson for Scholz refrained from speculating on Germany’s approach to Erdogan’s request to purchase 40 Eurofighter Typhoon warplanes. This decision would require Scholz’s backing since Germany is part of the consortium involved in their production. For Scholz, who leads a contentious three-way coalition grappling with a court ruling that has created a 60-billion-Euro deficit in the budget and a dispute over the economy and increasing immigration, Ankara’s role in curbing migration to the EU positions it as an indispensable partner.