US President Donald Trump has addressed the ongoing discussions regarding the supply of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey. During his visit to Ankara for a NATO summit, President Trump met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss the status of the F-35 program.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, President Trump stated that a final decision regarding the delivery of the aircraft has not yet been reached, though the possibility remains under consideration. Addressing the sanctions imposed on Turkey under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), the US President noted that Washington does not seek to impose sanctions on allied nations and indicated that steps could be taken to address these restrictions.
The F-35 program dispute stems from Turkey's 2019 procurement of S-400 air defense systems from Russia, which led to its removal from the multinational fighter jet program. Since then, Ankara has engaged in persistent diplomatic efforts to resolve the impasse, lift existing restrictions, and seek reintegration into the program. Beyond defense cooperation, the discussions in Ankara also covered the expansion of bilateral trade relations and regional security concerns, including the situation surrounding Iran.
