German Minister of Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock declared on Sunday that Germany will no longer stand in the way of the sale of Eurofighter jets to Saudi Arabia.
The freeze on arms sales to Saudi Arabia was initially instated by Germany following the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018.
Furthermore, a prior agreement between Riyadh and BAE Systems for the delivery of 48 Eurofighter jets, forged half a decade ago, had been suspended owing to the protracted conflict in Yemen, where Saudi-led Arab forces intervened in 2015.
“Saudi Arabia has made a crucial contribution to Israel’s security. Even these days, it is helping to prevent the risk of regional conflict,” said Baerbock to reporters in Israel.
Acknowledging the cooperation between the nations, Baerbock expressed Germany’s gratitude to Saudi Arabia for its efforts in intercepting projectiles launched by Houthi rebels toward Israel.
The Eurofighter jet is manufactured collaboratively by the Eurofighter GmbH consortium, based in Munich, jointly owned by Leonardo, BAE Systems, and Airbus Defense & Space for Germany and Spain. The program is overseen by the NATO Eurofighter & Tornado Management Agency (NETMA), established to address procurement needs for the air forces of Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Spain. This joint effort ensures collective decision-making, including the power to veto proposed deals.
