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.

Turkey and the UK signed an MoU to advance Eurofighter Typhoon procurement after Germany reportedly approved the export of 40 jets 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.