German Chancellor Scholz to meet with Erdoğan

The plane carrying German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his delegation landed at Istanbul Airport on Friday at 22:03.

The German Chancellor was welcomed at Istanbul Airport by Turkey's Ambassador to Berlin, Ahmet Başar Şen, and other officials.

AGENDA: UKRAINE, MIDDLE EAST, MIGRATION, AND ECONOMY

Scholz is scheduled to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan today, followed by a joint press conference.

The meeting between German Chancellor Scholz and President Erdoğan is expected to cover key topics, primarily Turkish-German relations, economic policies, the war in Ukraine, the current situation in the Middle East, the issue of migration, economy-focused matters, and the sale of Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets.

The two leaders last met in New York, USA, in September, where they had traveled to attend the 79th United Nations (UN) General Assembly.

TURKISH-GERMAN RELATIONS TO BE REVISITED

The current state of Turkish-German relations was evaluated in an article titled "The significance of Chancellor Scholz's visit to Turkey and the future of Turkish-German relations," written by M. Erkut Ayvaz from the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA).

According to the article, important aspects of Turkish-German relations will be revisited as Scholz and Erdoğan come together.

It is known that both countries are in favor of further developing their potential and cooperation opportunities, particularly in the fields of economy, trade, and energy.

Although goals in these areas are prominent, it can be estimated that the Customs Union and visa liberalization, which have been on the agenda for a long time, are also among the priority issues for Turkey.

It should not be forgotten that Turkey also has specific expectations regarding cooperation with Germany, particularly in the defense sector.

DEFENSE AND FOREIGN POLICY TENSIONS IN GERMANY-TURKEY RELATIONS

While there have been signals in recent days that Germany might end its obstruction of the sale of Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets to Turkey, the subsequent stages of the process are expected to be decisive.

It should also be noted that disagreements between Turkey and Germany persist in various policy areas.

Although there has been a dialogue-oriented process recently, the two countries continue to hold different positions and policy preferences on prominent issues such as the Aegean, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the two-state solution in Cyprus.

The highly controversial choices that the German government insists on maintaining regarding crisis regions are both causing reactions and further distancing its foreign policy from credibility.

TARGET OF 60 BILLION DOLLARS IN BILATERAL TRADE VOLUME 

There is a target to increase the trade volume between the two countries, which approached 50 billion dollars in 2023, to 60 billion dollars.

Another issue likely to be addressed during the visit is the matter raised by President Erdoğan regarding the "holding up at German customs" of turbines expected to arrive in Turkey for the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant.

Germany's approval of the sale of materials and weapons necessary for the modernization of Turkish frigates and torpedoes is being interpreted as a signal of a change in approach.

Especially due to the deepening crises and tensions in the Middle East, as well as recent developments in the Russia-Ukraine war, Turkey's strategic importance as a prominent NATO member has become even more pronounced.

The fact that a German government spokesperson underscored that Turkey is an "important partner" in the Ukraine issue, and that the government's approach of continuing arms aid to Ukraine has begun to find less resonance in society, especially in recent months, has led to the strengthening of German far-right and populist parties.

Therefore, it is estimated that the German government is prioritizing closer cooperation with influential countries like Turkey regarding the termination of the war in Ukraine.

Furthermore, concerns over Russia's increasing threat to Europe and the potential for further escalation of the Iran-Israel tension also strengthen the possibility that Germany will move to change its obstructive stance on the Eurofighter issue.

For now, positive signals regarding the sale of Eurofighter fighter jets to Turkey are being observed in German public opinion. Accordingly, a cautious approach should not be overlooked.

MIGRATION ISSUE

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which achieved significant success in state parliament elections in three states in eastern Germany in September, has ensured that the migration issue remains a priority political agenda in the country's politics.

The tendency of the opposition Christian Union (CDU/CSU) parties to increasingly normalize the rhetoric of the far-right has also caused coalition member parties in the government to turn toward populist rhetoric and steps, especially during the election process.

It is likely that the federal government will take some steps toward the German public on this issue before the Federal Parliament elections scheduled for September 28, 2025.

Issues regarding migration policies are expected to be addressed during Chancellor Scholz's visit to Turkey.

News Source: AA