Request for Lifting Defense Sanctions
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of Turkiye, discussed bilateral relations and international issues with U.S. President Donald Trump during a phone call, the Turkiye Presidential Office announced on the 16th (local time).
According to the Turkiye Presidential Office, President Erdogan stated during the call that he "supports President Trump's decisive and direct actions to end the Russia-Ukraine war." He added, "Turkiye has been striving for a just and sustainable peace since the outbreak of the war."
Regarding the Syria issue, he mentioned, "It is important to lift sanctions on Syria and help the new administration function normally." He further added, "This will enable Syrians to return to their homeland."
President Erdogan also expressed expectations for defense cooperation with the United States. He told President Trump, "I believe Turkiye and the United States will develop cooperation in a new era as allies," and requested the lifting of sanctions under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), completion of F-16 fighter jet procurement, and re-entry into the F-35 program.
Although Turkiye is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), it caused tensions with the United States by introducing the Russian-made S-400 air defense missile system in 2019. As a result, the U.S. excluded Turkiye from the F-35 fighter jet development program and blocked F-16 fighter jet sales under CAATSA. However, after Turkiye approved Sweden's NATO membership in January last year, the U.S. allowed additional F-16 sales to Turkiye.
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