ANKARA: US President Donald Trump said the United States would lift sanctions on Turkiye and consider selling F-35 fighter jets to Ankara, signaling a potential shift in bilateral ties despite legal hurdles that could delay both moves.
Speaking to reporters after meeting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the NATO summit, Trump said Washington was preparing to remove sanctions imposed on Türkiye in 2020 over its purchase of the Russian-made S-400 air defence system.
“We are going to lift the sanctions,” Trump said.
Trump also said his administration would soon decide whether to move ahead with the sale of F-35 stealth fighter jets to Türkiye.
“It is a great aircraft, the best fighter jet in the world, and we will certainly look into it,” he said.
Trump became the first US president in 11 years to visit Turkiye, where Erdogan welcomed him with an official state ceremony. Mounted cavalry escorted Trump’s motorcade to the presidential palace as the two leaders praised their countries’ longstanding ties.
Any decision to restore Turkiye’s participation in the F-35 programme, however, faces legal obstacles under US law.
Under legislation passed in 2020, the US administration must certify that Türkiye no longer possesses or operates the Russian S-400 air defence system before it can rejoin the programme or receive the aircraft.
Washington imposed sanctions on Turkiye’s defence procurement agency under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) after Ankara acquired the S-400 system from Russia. The measures included restrictions on US export licences as well as financial and banking sanctions. The dispute also led to Türkiye’s removal from the multinational F-35 programme.
Erdogan said he hoped Washington would make a positive decision on the fighter jet issue. He said the United States had previously committed to delivering five F-35 aircraft to Türkiye.
Despite improving ties between the two NATO allies, analysts say legal and political challenges could complicate efforts to lift the sanctions and restore Türkiye’s participation in the F-35 programme.
