A statement by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Economy indicated a decreasing number of arms sales to Turkey in 2018, Deutsche Welle reported on Friday.
Responding to a query from the Left Party, the German government stated that the country approved arms sales and military equipment to Turkey in the amount of 12.9 million euros in 2018, signaling a significant decline compared to previous years.
In 2016 the same figure was nearly 84 million euros and in 2017 the sales to Turkey amounted to over 34 million euros.
DW’s report cited Turkey’s military incursion in northern Syria and its fight against Kurdish militants in the region as a reason for the decline in Germany’s arms sales to Turkey. German Leopard 2 tanks were used in those cross-border operations.
In addition, German citizens including journalist Deniz Yücel were arrested for political reasons in Turkey last year.
Despite a relative improvement in relations following the journalists’ release, German export of arms to Turkey has not returned to their prior levels.