The United Kingdom has finalized an £8 billion agreement to sell 20 Typhoon fighter jets to Turkey, a move that has sparked debate over Ankara’s human rights record. Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the deal during his visit to Ankara on Monday, where he met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Starmer described the sale as a major step forward for the British defense industry and NATO security, saying it would secure hundreds of UK jobs and strengthen the alliance’s defense cooperation. BAE Systems will assemble the aircraft in the UK, with the first deliveries expected by 2030.
The announcement, however, comes as Erdoğan’s jailed political rival, Ekrem İmamoğlu, faces new charges of alleged links to British intelligence. Rights groups, including Amnesty International UK, urged Starmer to address Turkey’s deteriorating human rights situation, warning that trade and defense deals should not overshadow democratic principles.
Despite criticism, Starmer emphasized that the deal would help both nations address shared security challenges and reinforce NATO unity amid ongoing tensions with Russia.