Sir Keir Starmer will travel to Turkey on Monday for crucial talks on the multi-billion pound deal to sell Typhoon fighter jets to the country. The visit comes at President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's invitation to discuss the significant defence contract.
The Turkish government confirmed the Prime Minister's visit to Ankara will focus on progressing the deal announced in July. Reports suggest the leaders will discuss next steps on the agreement to supply 40 Eurofighter Typhoons to Turkey.
Strategic partnership talks
Turkish presidency communications chief Burhanettin Duran said: "The upcoming talks will address the strategic Turkey-UK relations, which are based on a close alliance, as well as current regional and international developments." The discussions will extend beyond the fighter jets agreement to cover broader regional issues.
The talks represent a significant opportunity to strengthen bilateral ties between the two NATO allies. Both countries view the defence cooperation as a cornerstone of their strategic partnership.
Deal finalisation expected
The UK and Turkey are expected to finalise the Eurofighter Typhoons deal, which will help safeguard jobs at British plants involved in constructing the jets. The agreement represents a major boost for UK defence manufacturing capabilities.
The two countries have continued negotiations since July over technical specifications and pricing for the aircraft. Ankara reportedly found the pricing for the jets relatively high during ongoing discussions.
Sources used: "Turkish government", "Middle East Eye", "Turkish presidency" Note: This article has been created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
