Donald Trump said on Tuesday, on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Turkey, that “the time has come” to lift U.S. sanctions imposed on Ankara over its purchase of Russia’s S-400 missile system, while also leaving open the possibility of selling F-35 fighter jets to Turkey.
The remarks came during his meeting with Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in a visit that marked a dramatic improvement in the tone of U.S.-Turkey relations compared with the Biden era. Trump repeatedly praised Erdogan, saying relations with Ankara were probably “better than ever,” and arguing that Turkey had been “far more loyal” than other allies.
A possible way to overcome the congressional hurdle would be for Turkey to transfer the S-400s to a third country, although no agreement has yet been reached, Reuters reported.
The issue, however, remains institutionally complex. Turkey was removed from the F-35 programme after acquiring the S-400s in 2019, as Washington believes the coexistence of the Russian system with U.S. stealth fighter jets could put sensitive technologies and operational capabilities at risk. In 2020, sanctions were imposed on a Turkish defence entity.
Despite Trump’s intentions, a major obstacle remains: a law passed by Congress that bans the transfer of F-35s to Turkey as long as the country retains the S-400 system. A bipartisan group of lawmakers has already expressed “deep concern” over such a prospect.
According to Reuters, one possible scenario under discussion is the transfer of the S-400s to a third country, though there is still no agreement — nor any clear indication that Russia would accept such a solution.
Source: Reuters
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