At odds over Middle East conflict, German and Turkish leaders cooperate on defence

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz during their meeting at the presidential office in Dolmabahce, Istanbul, on October 19, 2024.

Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have been at odds over the Israel-Hamas war but found common ground during their talks in Istanbul on the issue of arms sales to Ankara.

Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan thanked Germany's Olaf Scholz for his help in advancing a defence contract following talks in Istanbul on Saturday, although the pair remained starkly at odds over the Middle East crisis.

The German chancellor arrived on Friday night for his first visit since March 2022 with tensions in the Middle East high on the agenda alongside migration and other bilateral issues.

"We expect all political actors to take the initiative and put a stop to Israel's aggressive policies," said Erdogan, denouncing "the genocide carried out by Israel in the Palestinian territories and the attacks in Lebanon".


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