Berlin has lifted veto on Eurofighter sales to Saudi Arabia, German foreign minister indicates

Germany is now willing to end its veto on more Eurofighter Typhoons being sold to Saudi Arabia, according to comments made by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during a visit to Israel on 7 January 2024.

As one of the four Eurofighter nations Germany imposed the veto on further Typhoon sales to Saudi Arabia following the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018 and due to human rights concerns as well as Riyadh’s role in the Yemeni civil war.

However, as reported by Reuters and other media outlets, Baerbock stated to journalists in Israel, “We do not see the German government opposing British considerations for more Eurofighters for Saudi Arabia.

“The world, especially here in the Middle East, has become a completely different place since October 7,” she added, referring to the date Palestinian militant group Hamas mounted a large-scale terrorist attack on Israel that prompted the current conflict in Gaza.

The Royal Saudi Air Force received 72 Typhoons between 2009 and 2017, all but one of which remain in service, but in March 2018 Riyadh signed a memorandum of intent to purchase an additional 48. Khashoggi was killed on 2 October 2018.

Among the Eurofighter nations (Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom), it was Berlin – and especially the Green Party to which Baerbock belongs – that had opposed the Saudi Typhoon purchase.

Riyadh in the meanwhile has considered purchasing Dassault Rafale fighters instead.

Despite the lifting of the German veto, however, no firm contract with Saudi Arabia for more Typhoons is currently in place.

Eurofighter sales into Saudi Arabia have always been led from the UK by BAE Systems. Asked for comment by ESD on the prospect of selling more Typhoons to the kingdom, A BAE Systems spokesperson replied, “We continue to address current and potential new requirements as part of long-standing agreements between the UK government and Saudi Arabia. We are supporting the UK government in discussions with Saudi Arabia.”