Washington: US President Donald Trump has announced that the United States will lift sanctions imposed on Türkiye, while also indicating his willingness to move forward with the sale of F-35 fighter aircraft to Ankara.
The announcement came during a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the sidelines of the NATO Summit.
“We are lifting the sanctions imposed on Türkiye,” President Trump said during the meeting, marking a significant shift in US policy toward its NATO ally.
Background to the Sanctions
The United States imposed sanctions on Türkiye in 2020 under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) after Ankara acquired the Russian S-400 air defense missile system.
Washington argued at the time that the deployment of the S-400 alongside NATO systems posed security risks and was incompatible with the F-35 fighter jet program.
The sanctions targeted Türkiye’s Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) and included:
- Restrictions on US export licenses and defense-related equipment.
- Asset freezes and visa restrictions against then-SSB President İsmail Demir and other Turkish defense officials.
- Limitations on certain loans and financial assistance from US financial institutions.
The measures also resulted in Türkiye’s removal from the multinational F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program.
Possible Return to the F-35 Program
President Trump also expressed preliminary support for selling F-35 stealth fighter jets to Türkiye, signaling a possible reversal of the previous US policy that excluded Ankara from the program.
No formal agreement has been announced, and further discussions between the two governments are expected before any final decision is made.
Israeli Concerns
Following Trump’s remarks, Israel reportedly urged the United States to reconsider any decision to restore Türkiye’s participation in the F-35 program.
Israeli officials have expressed concerns about the potential regional security implications of supplying advanced fifth-generation fighter aircraft to Türkiye.
Strategic Implications
The lifting of sanctions and the possibility of renewed defense cooperation represent a potentially significant improvement in US-Türkiye relations after several years of tensions over defense procurement and regional security issues.
If implemented, the policy changes could strengthen military cooperation between the two NATO allies while reshaping the strategic balance within the alliance. However, any reinstatement of Türkiye in the F-35 program would likely require additional diplomatic consultations and compliance with US legal and security requirements.
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