Germany seeks to join UK-led fighter jet project with Italy and Japan

Berlin, Nov 2 (KUNA) – German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced on Monday that his country is seeking to “define the terms” of its participation in a new-generation fighter jet development project led by the United Kingdom in cooperation with Italy and Japan. Pistorius affirmed during a joint press conference with his British counterpart, Wes Streeting, in Berlin, that talks would be held over the next two weeks with his Japanese and Italian counterparts to determine the readiness of the three countries to accept Germany as a partner in the project. He added that the discussions aim to examine the conditions that could be imposed on Germany’s accession to the joint project, noting that time is a critical factor in this matter, necessitating a swift resolution. Pistorius stressed that German-British relations have reached their highest level ever, highlighting growing cooperation between the two countries and their standing side by side within the alliance amid current international turbulence. For his part, the British Defense Minister praised Germany’s role within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), affirming the strength of bilateral relations. Last October, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham offered German Chancellor Friedrich Merz the opportunity for Germany to join the project, which aims to develop the new fighter jet. This move follows the setback of the Franco-German project to develop a future combat air system last summer, after both sides failed to reach an agreement after years of negotiations. (End) A.N.J./R.J.