US President Donald Trump has announced that the United States will lift sanctions imposed on Türkiye and has also indicated his willingness to allow the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Ankara. The US sanctions on Türkiye decision was announced during Trump’s meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the sidelines of the NATO summit.
Speaking after the meeting, Trump said the United States was ending the sanctions placed on Türkiye. The restrictions had been imposed in 2020 under the CAATSA law after Ankara purchased the Russian S-400 air defense system.
The 2020 sanctions included restrictions on export licenses and defense equipment for Türkiye’s Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB). They also froze the assets of then-SSB President Ismail Demir and other Turkish defense officials, imposed visa restrictions, and limited access to certain US financial assistance and loans.
Trump also expressed near-complete support for allowing Türkiye to purchase F-35 fighter jets again, raising the possibility of Ankara’s return to the advanced fighter aircraft program after years of exclusion.
Meanwhile, Israel has urged the United States to reconsider any decision to bring Türkiye back into the F-35 program. The US sanctions on Türkiye announcement is expected to have significant implications for defense cooperation and regional security in the coming months.