US easing sanctions on Turkish defense sector – Erdogan

TURKEY: THE US is relaxing sanctions on Türkiye’s defense industry and has approved a major arms deal, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced.

In 2020, Washington imposed restrictions on Ankara under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) in response to Türkiye’s purchase of Russian S-400 air defense missile systems. Ankara rejected calls to abandon the deal with Moscow, insisting on its sovereign right to choose its weapons suppliers.

“With my friend Trump taking office, we reached a more open, more constructive, more sincere communication,” he said.

The easing of restrictions coincides with the US approval of a potential missile sale worth over $300 million – a move Erdogan described as a step toward removing remaining barriers between the two NATO allies. “As two major NATO allies, there should be no defense restrictions,” he said.

During a phone call in March, Erdogan urged Trump to lift the sanctions, finalize a $23 billion deal for 40 F-16 fighter jets, and reinstate Türkiye in the F-35 fighter jet program. Ankara was removed from the project in 2019 over concerns that the Russian-made S-400 system could compromise the jet’s security. Trump is reportedly open to Türkiye’s return, provided the S-400 system is dismantled or relocated to a US-controlled base.

Erdogan and Trump recently held another call, during which they discussed Syria, Gaza, and efforts to end the Ukraine conflict. Trump, who previously described his relationship with Erdogan as “excellent,” called the conversation “very good and productive.”

Türkiye hosted the first direct Russia-Ukraine negotiations in three years on Friday in Istanbul, during which the two sides agreed to a prisoner swap.