ANKARA/LONDON — Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler and his British counterpart, Grant Shapps, signed a defense cooperation deal on Thursday as Ankara has sped up its push to purchase Eurofighter combat aircraft from the UK.
The statement of intent on defense cooperation, which was signed on the sidelines of Shapps’ official visit to Turkey, is aiming for “closer collaboration between both countries’ defense industries,” according to the UK Defense Ministry.
A statement from the ministry added the pact will see "closer collaboration between both countries’ defense industries, the identification of possible joint training exercises in the Mediterranean, and the exploration of security support around North Africa and the Middle East."
Shapps thanked his counterpart for using Turkey's influence as the gatekeeper to the Black Sea to allow the export of millions of tons of Ukrainian grain to countries in need of it, the ministry added.
