403
Sorry!!
Error! We're sorry, but the page you were looking for doesn't exist.
Erdogan: U.S. Scales Back Sanctions on Türkiye’s Defense Sector
(MENAFN) President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced that the United States is scaling back sanctions on Türkiye’s defense sector and has signed off on a significant arms deal.
The sanctions were initially enacted in 2020 under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) after Türkiye acquired Russian S-400 air defense systems. Ankara stood firm against pressure to cancel the deal with Moscow, defending its right to independently choose military suppliers.
“We can safely say that CAATSA sanctions are being eased,” Erdogan told reporters on Saturday following his return from the European Political Community summit in Albania. He noted a recent meeting with the new U.S. ambassador to Türkiye, Tom Barrack.
“With my friend Trump taking office, we reached a more open, more constructive, more sincere communication,” he stated.
The relaxation of sanctions aligns with U.S. approval of a proposed missile sale exceeding $300 million. Erdogan framed this as progress toward lifting remaining military trade barriers between the allied nations. “As two major NATO allies, there should be no defense restrictions,” he noted.
In a phone conversation in March, Erdogan pressed Trump to lift the sanctions, finalize a $23 billion agreement for 40 F-16 fighter jets, and reintegrate Türkiye into the F-35 program. Türkiye was expelled from the F-35 initiative in 2019 due to concerns that the Russian S-400 system could endanger the aircraft’s security. Trump is reportedly open to Türkiye’s return if the S-400 is dismantled or transferred to a U.S.-controlled location.
The two leaders also recently held another call where they discussed developments in Syria and Gaza, as well as diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Trump, who previously characterized his rapport with Erdogan as “excellent,” said the discussion was “very good and productive.”
On Friday, Türkiye hosted the first direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in three years, held in Istanbul. The meeting resulted in an agreement on a prisoner exchange.
The sanctions were initially enacted in 2020 under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) after Türkiye acquired Russian S-400 air defense systems. Ankara stood firm against pressure to cancel the deal with Moscow, defending its right to independently choose military suppliers.
“We can safely say that CAATSA sanctions are being eased,” Erdogan told reporters on Saturday following his return from the European Political Community summit in Albania. He noted a recent meeting with the new U.S. ambassador to Türkiye, Tom Barrack.
“With my friend Trump taking office, we reached a more open, more constructive, more sincere communication,” he stated.
The relaxation of sanctions aligns with U.S. approval of a proposed missile sale exceeding $300 million. Erdogan framed this as progress toward lifting remaining military trade barriers between the allied nations. “As two major NATO allies, there should be no defense restrictions,” he noted.
In a phone conversation in March, Erdogan pressed Trump to lift the sanctions, finalize a $23 billion agreement for 40 F-16 fighter jets, and reintegrate Türkiye into the F-35 program. Türkiye was expelled from the F-35 initiative in 2019 due to concerns that the Russian S-400 system could endanger the aircraft’s security. Trump is reportedly open to Türkiye’s return if the S-400 is dismantled or transferred to a U.S.-controlled location.
The two leaders also recently held another call where they discussed developments in Syria and Gaza, as well as diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Trump, who previously characterized his rapport with Erdogan as “excellent,” said the discussion was “very good and productive.”
On Friday, Türkiye hosted the first direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in three years, held in Istanbul. The meeting resulted in an agreement on a prisoner exchange.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Most popular stories
Market Research
More Story
Comments
No comment