Trump says he will lift sanctions on Turkey and consider F-35 sale during NATO meeting
Trump says he will lift sanctions on Turkey and will decide on potential F-35 sale while meeting President Erdoğan at the NATO summit, marking a possible shift in US-Turkey ties.
The US president told reporters he would lift sanctions on Turkey and promised to make a decision on a potential sale of F-35 fighter jets, remarks delivered as he began a face-to-face meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the NATO summit. The announcement, made in response to questions about measures taken under a US law that targets adversaries, signals a potential reversal of actions taken over Ankara’s purchase of Russian S-400 air defence systems. Officials familiar with the talks also indicated that the matter of a restored F-35 sale could be on the table, although legal and congressional hurdles have not been fully resolved.
Trump and Erdoğan meet at NATO summit
The two leaders opened their meeting with a public exchange of remarks that included immediate policy statements. President Trump told assembled journalists that US sanctions against Turkey “will be lifted,” framing the move as part of broader bilateral discussions. The comments came early in their scheduled bilateral session at the alliance summit, where security, defence procurement and trade were listed as agenda items.
The timing of the announcement underscored the personal diplomatic style both leaders favour, with high-profile summit encounters used to signal shifts in policy. White House aides said the meeting would cover not only defence procurement but also trade matters, indicating a package-style approach to negotiations between Washington and Ankara.
Background on the 2020 sanctions
The sanctions in question were imposed in 2020 under a US law designed to deter adversaries from acquiring advanced Russian systems. Washington acted after Turkey accepted delivery of the S-400 surface-to-air missile system from Moscow, a step that prompted concern in NATO about interoperability and the security of alliance platforms. As part of the response, Turkey was removed from the F-35 joint strike fighter programme, a decision that Ankara then characterised as unfair and legally contestable.
Those 2020 measures have been a persistent irritant in US-Turkey relations, complicating military-to-military ties and joint planning inside NATO. Analysts note that restoring full defence cooperation would require addressing both the technical and legal legacies of the S-400 procurement and the subsequent US penalties.
Prospects for an F-35 sale remain uncertain
Two officials familiar with the discussions told reporters they expected Mr. Trump to express support for a possible F-35 sale during his visit to Ankara, though they stressed that formal approval could not be guaranteed. Any US decision on resuming F-35 deliveries would face statutory constraints and scrutiny in Congress, where lawmakers have shown bipartisan scepticism about reversing sanctions tied to purchases from Russia.
Legal experts point out that revoking sanctions or authorising an arms sale involves interlocking steps across the executive branch and the legislature, including potential certification requirements and congressional review periods. Even with presidential backing, restoring Turkey’s place in the F-35 programme would likely be a protracted process requiring technical assessments and political negotiations.
Ankara’s position and diplomatic messaging
Turkish officials have long argued that their exclusion from the F-35 programme was unjust and have maintained that Ankara can find workable solutions to any technical concerns. Public statements from Ankara following the summit meeting highlighted a desire to normalise defence relations and to pursue mutually beneficial commercial deals. Turkish diplomats also emphasised that any agreement would need to respect Turkey’s sovereignty and strategic priorities.
Observers in Ankara stressed that a diplomatic breakthrough on sanctions or on the F-35 would be presented domestically as a vindication of Turkey’s foreign policy independence. Still, officials will need to balance political messaging with pragmatic steps required by Washington’s legal and budgetary frameworks.
Implications for US-Turkey trade and NATO cohesion
Beyond the defence file, President Trump said he would raise trade issues with Mr. Erdoğan, signalling that an improved bilateral climate could extend to economic and commercial cooperation. Greater alignment on defence procurement could ease broader frictions and contribute to stronger coordination inside NATO, where Turkey’s strategic location and military capabilities are considered important. However, changing entrenched positions on sanctions and armaments will require detailed technical work and legislative engagement.
Allies watching the bilateral exchange noted that any apparent shift in US policy could have ripple effects across the alliance, prompting recalibrations in how partners approach dual-track relations with both Washington and Moscow. The interplay between national defence procurement choices and collective security commitments remains a live challenge for NATO members.
The announcement introduced a new phase in talks between Washington and Ankara, but key uncertainties persist about the legal and congressional pathways required to remove sanctions and to authorise an F-35 sale. The coming weeks will likely see intensified diplomacy, formal interagency reviews in Washington, and continued consultation with NATO partners as both capitals weigh the strategic trade-offs of any policy change.