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STARMER’S $10.7 BILLION JET DEAL AND MERZ’S EU MESSAGE: DIFFERENT TACTICS, SAME DISTANCE
Deciphering Turkish Diplomacy Oct 31, 2025

STARMER’S $10.7 BILLION JET DEAL AND MERZ’S EU MESSAGE: DIFFERENT TACTICS, SAME DISTANCE

Nearly a decade after the migration deal that was signed between the EU and Turkey under the leadership of Germany, the arrangement that succeeded in stopping migrants entering Europe via Turkey remains the backbone of the transactional relationship between Ankara and Berlin. However, although Turkey continues to be seen as a buffer zone stopping the migration flows, there is also a renewed discovery among European capitals of the country’s value as a strategic asset.

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