Germany to change stance and approve Eurofighter sales to Saudis
▶ Riyadh’s stabilising role in region prompted policy switch, Berlin says
Germany will permit the sale of more Eurofighter warplanes to Saudi Arabia in a change prompted by developments in the Middle East.
Officials said Riyadh’s constructive stance on the Israel-Gaza war, its role in intercepting Houthi missiles, and hopeful signs for the Yemeni peace process had contributed to Berlin’s decision to lift its veto on a sale of 48 jets to the Royal Saudi Air Force.
“The changed situation and the stabilising role that Saudi Arabia takes in the region must be taken into account,” a German Economy Ministry spokeswoman said.
Any sale must be approved by Germany, which is one of four manufacturers in the Eurofighter consortium, along with the UK, Italy and Spain. Britain welcomed Germany’s decision, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s spokesman promoting the jet as “one of the most capable and mission-ready aircraft in the world”.
Britain’s BAE Systems revealed in 2018 that it hoped to sell 48 of the jets to Saudi Arabia, but the deal has remained in limbo because of a German veto.
The kingdom acquired 72 Eurofighters from 2007 until 2017. Website Politico said those sales were worth about $5.6 billion.
Germany’s three governing parties wrote in their 2021 coalition agreement that they would not approve arms sales to countries directly involved in the war in Yemen.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz said last year that the Yemen clause could be dropped where sales of transport aircraft were concerned, but Eurofighters would not be exported “any time soon”. However, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on a visit to the region that the German government was not opposed to a British sale, and Mr Scholz’s spokesman said on Monday that the Chancellor took the same view.
The change came in light of “the developments we have seen since October 7, in which Saudi Arabia has taken a very constructive stance towards Israel”, said the spokesman, Steffen Hebestreit.
Hamas attacked Israel on that date, killing about 1,200 people and taking 240 hostage. Israel has since responded with a ground and air campaign that has killed more than 23,000, the Gaza Health Ministry said.
“The attackers on October 7 had the goal of preventing Saudi Arabia’s rapprochement with Israel. That goal was not achieved,” Mr Hebestreit said. “The Israeli government and Saudi government are co-operating well.” Another factor is the peace process in Yemen in which Berlin regards Saudi Arabia as having played a constructive role, a Foreign Ministry representative said.
A UN-brokered truce in Yemen led to a reduction in fighting from April 2022, although the country’s Houthi rebels have attacked Red Sea shipping in what they say are acts of solidarity with the people of Gaza.
German officials might “not have imagined” in the past that the Saudi military could intercept missiles fired at Israel, said the Foreign Ministry spokesman, who also referred to the kingdom’s steps towards improving relations with Iran.
Approval from Berlin would mean the Eurofighter consortium can formally enter negotiations. Germany’s security council would still have to issue final approval for a sale.
Mr Scholz’s government tore up nearly 80 years of German postwar policy by sending German weapons and armour to Ukraine to help fend off Russia’s invasion.