Germany lifts veto on Eurofighter sale to Saudi Arabia

Berlin praises 'constructive' Saudi role as Middle East conflict prompts arms export rethink

The export of Eurofighter jets to Saudi Arabia has been in limbo since 2018 but Germany now says it is ready to allow a sale. AFP

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Germany is willing to allow Saudi Arabia to buy Eurofighter warplanes, it said on Monday, in a change of heart prompted by developments in the Middle East.

Officials said Saudi Arabia's “constructive stance” on the Israel-Gaza war, its role in intercepting Houthi missiles, and hopeful signs in Yemen's peace process, had contributed to lifting Berlin's veto.

“The changed situation and the stabilising role that Saudi Arabia takes in the region must be taken into account,” an Economy Ministry spokeswoman said.

Any sale must be approved by Germany because it is one of four manufacturers of the Eurofighter Typhoon, along with the UK, Italy and Spain.

Britain welcomed the U-turn, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's spokesman calling the Typhoon “one of the most capable and mission-ready aircraft in the world”.

Britain's BAE Systems revealed in 2018 it hoped to sell 48 of the jets to Saudi Arabia, but the deal has remained in limbo because of a German ban. The kingdom previously bought 72 Eurofighters up to 2017.

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 signalled last year that the “Yemen clause” could be dropped in respect of transport aircraft, but said Eurofighters would not be exported “any time soon”.

However, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on a visit to the region that Germany would not block a British sale and Mr Scholz's spokesman confirmed 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, unleashing a conflict that is now more than three months old.

“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.”

Improved prospects for peace in Yemen have contributed to Germany's change of stance towards Saudi Arabia. EPA

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 solidarity with the people of Gaza in recent weeks.

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 highlighted the kingdom's steps towards improving relations with Iran.

A green light from Berlin would mean the Eurofighter consortium can formally enter negotiations. Germany's top Security Council would still have to issue final approval for a sale.

Mr Scholz's government has already broken a post-1945 taboo by sending German weapons to Ukraine to help fend off Russia's invasion.

Britain has been keen to finalise the Saudi deal on behalf of BAE Systems, which says the Typhoon programme supports about 20,000 jobs in the UK. Kuwait, Qatar and Oman also use the Eurofighter.