German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is set to make his first official visit to Türkiye on Thursday, marking a potential turning point in relations between the two nations. Merz will meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to discuss key issues, including the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, where Türkiye has acted as a mediator, as well as migration and defense cooperation.
The visit follows the recent signing of an agreement for the delivery of Eurofighter jets to Türkiye — a move that underscores deepening defense collaboration. As the jets are produced by a European consortium involving Germany, Britain, Italy, and Spain, the deal highlights the importance of unified approval among member nations.
German officials described Merz’s trip as a “highly significant opportunity” to strengthen cooperation on regional and global matters. Analysts view the visit as an effort by Berlin to inject new momentum into its foreign policy and bolster ties with Ankara.
Experts also expect discussions to include advancing Türkiye’s EU accession process, updating the customs union, promoting visa liberalization, and enhancing NATO coordination. Both nations are anticipated to explore ways to expand trade, defense collaboration, and energy cooperation under a more pragmatic and balanced framework.