ANKARA (Reuters) – President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that the U.S. would lift sanctions on Turkey that were imposed in 2020 over Ankara’s purchase of Russian defense missiles, and signaled a willingness to sell the NATO ally F-35 fighter jets, moves that would both be massive gestures to Turkey but may face legal hurdles.
In the first visit to Turkey by a U.S. president in 11 years, Trump was welcomed by President Tayyip Erdogan at the airport with a lavish state ceremony during which Turkish soldiers riding horses escorted Trump’s motorcade to the presidential palace. Both leaders sang each other’s praises in their public remarks. Under Trump, Turkey’s deteriorating human rights track record has never been a topic of much concern for Washington.
Speaking to reporters at the Turkish presidential palace, Trump repeatedly praised Erdogan, saying he had “chemistry” with him and that the relationship with Ankara has never been better. The warmth was a near sea change in the relationship which was distant under former President Joe Biden.
Despite the better ties, Turkey’s 2019 acquisition of a Russian S-400 system and Washington’s 2020 imposition of U.S. sanctions on a major Turkish defense company and removal of Turkey from the F-35 stealth fighter jet program have long been a sore point. Solving those issues would eliminate a key irritant in the relationship but it is unlikely to materialize quickly.
“We’re going to be taking the sanctions off,” Trump told reporters just before his meeting with Erdogan during a visit to Turkey for a NATO summit. “It’s time. We don’t want to sanction friends,” he said, adding that his secretary of state and Treasury secretary were working on the issue.
When asked if he had any concerns about Ankara still being in possession of the Russian S-400s, he said he did not. “I have no concerns about anything having to do with Turkey,” he said. “I would say the relationship with Turkey right now is better probably than it’s ever been.”
Trump also indicated his possible support for letting Turkey buy F-35 stealth fighter jets even as he did not say how exactly such a transaction would take place given legal hurdles and objections from the U.S. Congress.
“Turkey 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.
Erdogan also said he hoped for a positive result on Ankara’s desire to buy F-35 fighter jets. “We have discussed this before with the U.S. and were promised five jets,” Erdogan said, adding: “I know that Mr. Trump always keeps his promises.”
Congress passed a law prohibiting any F-35 sales to Turkey as long as it retained the S-400s, saying the Russian system posed a security risk to U.S.-made combat aircraft. Currently, U.S. law does not permit Turkey to operate or possess the S-400 system if it wishes to rejoin the F-35 program.
