The UK signed a preliminary agreement on the sale of Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets to Turkey, a multibillion-dollar defense deal long held up by political tensions between Ankara and its NATO allies.

The German government has cleared the way for the export of Eurofighter Typhoon jets to Turkey, removing a key obstacle to a major arms deal involving the United Kingdom. German government spokesman Stefan Kornelius confirmed in Berlin on Wednesday that the Defence Ministry has sent written authorization to Ankara.

Turkey reached deals with NATO allies Britain and Germany on Wednesday that pave the way to acquiring dozens of Eurofighter Typhoon jets, which Ankara has sought to bolster defences in an increasingly volatile region.