Germany's Scholz to visit Istanbul for talks with Erdoğan

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is to travel to Turkey next weekend for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Government spokesman Wolfgang Büchner said the visit to Istanbul would take place on October 19.

Key agenda items could include migration, the war in Ukraine, the conflict in the Middle East and economic questions.

The German government recently said Turkey has agreed to facilitate deportations. Turkish nationals form the third-largest group of asylum seekers in Germany, behind Syrians and Afghans.

Another issue could be Turkey's planned purchase of Eurofighter jets, which would require German government approval.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs in Berlin sad it "does not comment on any ongoing processes as a matter of principle."

Erdoğan has repeatedly attacked Israel during the war in Gaza and accused Germany of double standards over its deliveries of weapons to Israel.