New harmony between Berlin and Ankara?
During German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's visit to Ankara, he and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stressed the similarities between the two countries. Differences in their respective positions on the Middle East conflict were discussed but not considered problematic. Berlin's approval of the delivery of Eurofighter jets to its strategically important Nato partner is seen as an important step for Turkey.
The Turkish president gets a lot right
The Neue Zürcher Zeitung commends Erdoğan's strategic thinking:
“Whether in the Gaza conflict, the war in Ukraine or in Syria, there is currently no getting around Turkey. This has to do with the fact that Erdoğan maintains good relations with Moscow and Kyiv, gets on famously with Donald Trump and has close ties to the new leadership in Syria and Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Erdoğan's assistance in brokering a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip demonstrates how this network of relationships plays into his hands. ... Turkey's current role shows that Erdoğan has got a lot of things right.”
Differences set aside
Yetkin Report comments:
“When Merz emphasised German support for Israel's right to self-defence in Gaza, Erdoğan didn't mince his words. ... Merz responded that his country had suspended its arms exports following recent developments, but did not press the issue further. This stance shows the following: even though Turkey and Germany disagree over Israel's aggression in Gaza and the quality of democracy in Turkey, they do not see this as an obstacle in view of their current strategic interests, particularly in the areas of security and trade.”
Scepticism in Greece
The new harmony between Berlin and Ankara is hard for Athens to swallow, To Vima notes:
“The Eurofighter example illustrates Berlin's radical change of course towards Ankara since Russia launched its war of aggression in Ukraine. The US president's distancing himself from Europe and his refusal to supply weapons to Kyiv was the icing on the cake. ... Never since the Cold War has Turkey, the country with the second largest army in Nato, been such a valuable ally. And that is a reality. Merz's Germany has not only given the green light for the Eurofighter, but also supports Ankara's participation in the EU's 'Safe' programme [for financing joint arms procurement] despite Athens' reservations. How it will succeed in convincing the Greek government remains a mystery.”