Turkey and Germany have high potential in the defense industry and must focus on joint projects, President Tayyip Erdogan has said at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Ankara.

“In light of the changing security conditions in Europe, we must leave behind problems in the procurement of defense industry products and focus on joint projects,” Erdogan said.

Merz, who was making his inaugural visit to Turkey to discuss bilateral relations, foreign policy, and cooperation on economics, migration, and security, said he sees Turkey as a close partner to the European Union and wants to develop bilateral economic relations, including in the transport sector.

“I personally, and the German government, see Turkey as a close partner of the European Union. We want to continue smoothing the way to Europe,” said Merz.

He said the two had spoken about migration and wanted to make further progress on the repatriation of failed asylum seekers.

Erdogan slammed Germany over what he said was its ignorance of Israel’s “genocide,” famine and attacks in Gaza.

The Turkish president said Israel had nuclear and other weapons with which it was using and threatening Gaza, adding Palestinian militant group Hamas had none of those. He said Israel had once again attacked Gaza in recent days despite a ceasefire in the enclave.

“Does Germany not see these?” he said, adding it was Turkey, Germany and other countries’ humanitarian duty to end the famine and massacres in Gaza. [Reuters]

Source: Ekathimerini.com