Trump says US will lift sanctions on Türkiye, possibly sell F-35 fighter jets

ANKARA: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (Jul 7) announced that Washington would lift US sanctions on Türkiye that were imposed in 2020 over Ankara's purchase of Russian defence missiles, while expressing a willingness to sell the fellow NATO ally F-35 fighter jets.

The move would be a massive gesture from Trump to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan whom he considers a close ally and would remove a major long-standing irritant in bilateral ties.

Even as Washington and Ankara have enjoyed warmer ties under Trump, Türkiye's 2019 acquisition of the Russian S-400 system has long been a sore point for both sides.

In response to that purchase, Washington in 2020 imposed sanctions on a major Turkish defence company and removed Türkiye from the F-35 stealth fighter jet program, where Ankara was also a production partner.

"We're going to be taking the sanctions off," Trump told reporters just before his meeting with Erdogan during a visit to Türkiye for a NATO summit. He added that his secretary of state and Treasury secretary were working on the issue.

Trump was also upbeat about the possible sale of F-35 stealth fighter jets to Türkiye even as he did not say how exactly such a transaction would take place given the legal hurdles.

"Türkiye has been, in many ways, much more loyal than other countries that we think would be loyal ... It's a great plane, it's the best, currently the best plane by far. And it's certainly something we will consider," Trump said.

Congress passed a law prohibiting any F-35 sales to Türkiye as long ⁠as Ankara retained the S-400s, saying the Russian system posed a security risk to US-made combat aircraft. Currently, US law does not permit Türkiye to operate or possess the S-400 system if it wishes to rejoin the F-35 programme.

Earlier, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that Trump was expected to throw his support behind a potential F-35 sale to Türkiye. One solution that has in recent weeks gained traction is to send the Russian system to a third country, although an agreement on this has yet to be sealed, according to the sources, who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

It was unclear if such a move would be accepted by Russia, which requires end-user obligations in weapons sales.

Trump's visit to Türkiye is the first by a US president in 11 years. He was welcomed by Erdogan with a lavish state ceremony and both leaders sang each other's praises in their public remarks. Under Trump, Türkiye's deteriorating human rights track record has never been a topic of much concern for Washington.