14.04.2025 14:03
The German media reported that following President Erdoğan's meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, Turkey is open to the sale of F-35s, and this situation has alarmed Israel and Greece.
The US media reported earlier last month that US President Donald Trump was open to selling F-35s to Turkey. In a report by American Fox News, it was stated that Trump was considering lifting sanctions against Turkey and restarting the sale of F-35 fighter jets after his meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
NETANYAHU KNOCKED ON THE US'S DOOR
The claim hit the agenda like a bomb. Greek media carried the allegations regarding the lifting of CAATSA sanctions and the approval of F-35 sales for days, discussing how the process would work. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu knocked on the door of his closest ally, the US, to prevent the sale of F-35s to Turkey. Reports in the Israeli press claimed that Netanyahu pressured US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
ISRAEL HAS GONE ON ALERT
The German newspaper Frankfurter Rundschau also wrote today that Trump could sell F-35s to Turkey and that this situation has put Israel on alert. The newspaper stated, "The American President wants to reintegrate Turkey into the F-35 program and deliver the planes. For this purpose, he asked his team to research how sanctions against Turkey could be lifted both legally and technically."
IT HAD COME UP DURING BIDEN'S TERM
The newspaper noted that Trump's change of mind emerged immediately after his phone call with President Erdoğan, and pointed out that the issue had also come up during former President Joe Biden's term, but no concrete developments occurred. The publication, which stated that recent developments have put Israel on alert, included the following statements in its report: "Equipping the Turkish Air Force with F-35s would be disadvantageous for Israel. Israel also possesses F-35s and wants to maintain military-technological superiority in the region."
"THERE IS A GOOD RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ERDOĞAN AND TRUMP"
Frankfurter Rundschau, which also brought up the allegations that Netanyahu pressured Rubio, emphasized that Turkey does not take these initiatives 'too seriously' and highlighted the warm relationship between Erdoğan and Trump; "There is currently a good relationship between Erdoğan and Trump. Even while hosting Netanyahu at the White House, Trump repeatedly praised his Turkish counterpart as a 'friend' and 'a smart man.' The Israeli newspaper Times of Israel also wrote that Erdoğan convinced Trump and that it would be difficult for Netanyahu to change this."
GREECE IS ALSO IN A PANIC
The newspaper emphasized that the sale of F-35s to Turkey has caused panic not only in Israel but also in Greece, stating, "Not only in Israel but also in Turkey's neighbor Greece, there is panic due to developments surrounding the F-35. Athens has long boasted that it would be far superior to its rival across the Aegean thanks to the F-35. However, this assumption is now in jeopardy."