Trump says US will lift Turkey sanctions and decide on F-35 sale at NATO summit in Ankara
At a NATO summit in Ankara, President Trump announced the lifting of sanctions on Turkey and said a decision on selling F-35 jets is forthcoming, reversing a policy he imposed in 2020.
Sanctions and F-35 reversal
President Donald Trump said the United States would lift sanctions on Turkey and make a decision on selling F-35 fighter jets during a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the NATO summit in Ankara on Tuesday. "We're going to be taking the sanctions off," Trump told reporters, referring to measures imposed under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) in 2020 over Turkey's purchase of Russian S-400 air defence systems. The same year, Washington removed Ankara from the F-35 programme, a move Turkey called unjust.
Trump said the F-35 sale was "a decision we're going to make" and that he and Erdogan would also discuss trade. The remarks came after weeks of signals from the administration, including a late-June notification to Congress of a planned sale of F110 jet engines worth over $700 million for Turkey's indigenous Kaan fighter. Vice President J.D. Vance had earlier indicated the Pentagon was reviewing Turkey's return to the F-35 programme.
- US imposes CAATSA sanctions and removes Turkey from F-35 programme over S-400 purchase.
- US notifies Congress of $700 million F110 engine sale for Turkey's Kaan fighter jet.
- Trump announces sanctions will be lifted and F-35 decision is pending at NATO summit in Ankara.
NATO criticism
Shortly after arriving in Ankara, Trump voiced frustration with European allies. "I was very disappointed with NATO," he said during the meeting with Erdogan, repeating his criticism that European partners had left the United States unsupported in the Iran war. He explicitly named the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany and France.
The S-400 obstacle
The main barrier to Turkey's re-entry into the F-35 programme remains the Russian S-400 system it acquired in 2017. Congress has barred F-35 sales as long as the system is on Turkish soil, fearing it could gather intelligence on the jet's capabilities. The White House said in 2019 that "the F-35 cannot coexist with a Russian intelligence collection platform."
Options under discussion include transferring the S-400 to a third country or stationing it in Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan exclave, which borders Turkey. No final agreement has been reached, and any transfer would likely require Moscow's consent. US Ambassador to Ankara Tom Barrack described the talks in December as the best in nearly a decade.
Netanyahu's warning
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke out against a potential F-35 deal on Monday, telling Fox News it would "upset the balance of power in the Middle East" currently guaranteed by Israel and the US military. Tensions between Israel and Turkey have risen sharply over the Gaza war and other regional conflicts.
The F-35 cannot coexist with a Russian intelligence platform that will be used to learn about its advanced capabilities.
What comes next
Trump's announcement does not immediately resolve the legal and congressional hurdles. Democratic Representative Gregory Meeks criticised the administration for merely notifying Congress of the engine sale rather than seeking approval, calling it a bypass. Any full F-35 sale would require congressional consent, and the sanctions cannot be lifted under current law unless Ankara divests the S-400 system.
Trump hinted at further steps, saying he would "probably do something that will make him happy" in reference to Erdogan. The two leaders have long enjoyed a personal rapport; Trump has called Erdogan a "good friend" and a "hell of a leader." The NATO summit continues Wednesday with a working session and press conference.
