22.03.2025 10:00
It has been suggested that U.S. President Donald Trump is open to the idea of selling F-35 fighter jets to Turkey and lifting CAATSA sanctions following his recent meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. According to American media, if Ankara takes steps regarding the S-400 systems, Washington may reconsider the sale of F-35s to Turkey.
It has been claimed that U.S. President Donald Trump may take steps towards the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey and the lifting of certain sanctions. According to two senior sources speaking to Fox News, Trump has entered a new evaluation process regarding this matter following his recent meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
TRUMP HAS CONDITIONS
The report states that Trump is willing to open a new chapter in relations with Turkey and has conditionally raised the possibility of returning to the F-35 program. In this context, it has been suggested that if an agreement is reached on a formula that would "render" Turkey's Russian-made S-400 air defense systems inoperable, the sale of the fighter jets could be greenlit.
LIFTING SANCTIONS ON THE AGENDA
The sale of F-35s to Turkey had been suspended due to sanctions imposed under the U.S. Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). According to sources speaking to Fox News, Trump has instructed his team to start working on how these sanctions could be lifted.
In a phone call last week between Erdoğan and Trump, bilateral relations and regional developments were discussed. Following the meeting, it was noted that Washington signaled a softening in defense cooperation with Turkey.
DISPUTES OVER F-35s DEEPENING
Although F-35 fighter jets stand out with their advanced technologies, claims that the producing country, the U.S., has established critical dominance over the aircraft through software, technical support, and hardware control have long been a topic of debate.
The F-35 contract obtained by the German magazine Stern has brought these concerns back to the forefront. According to the report, Germany is obliged to notify the U.S. of every flight in accordance with the agreement made and to transfer usage data to Amazon's cloud infrastructure. It was also stated that the Pentagon has restricted Germany's access to the aircraft's control software and reserves the right to halt flights in extraordinary situations.
CONCERNS GROWING IN EUROPE
According to the British newspaper The Times, the U.S.'s temporary military support cut to Ukraine and the slowdown in equipment supply have raised new concerns among F-35 users. It is reported that 21 countries that have ordered or are currently using the aircraft are affected by this situation.
While the UK and the Netherlands have stated their determination to continue the program, it has been reported that Canada and Portugal are reviewing their orders. In Germany, the opposition has raised the issue of canceling the order of 35 units placed last year. The Berlin government has announced that it will remain committed to the agreements made with the U.S. at this stage.