Trump is considering lifting sanctions on Turkey for the F‑35 deal

• The U.S. President Donald Trump, after a conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is considering lifting the sanctions imposed on Ankara.
• The condition for the sale of F-35s would be Turkey disabling Russia's S-400 air defence systems.
• Washington's possible approval could improve the strained relations between the two countries.

During a recent phone conversation with Erdogan, Trump expressed his readiness to revoke Ankara's exclusion from the F-35 supply programme, for which Turkey has already partially paid, if it agrees to dismantle or relocate the Russian installations to a U.S.-controlled base. The launchers could be transferred to the Incirlik base in southern Turkey.

Sources cited by Fox News also report that Trump's team requested a legal and technical analysis a few days ago on how to avoid labelling Turkey as a country violating sanctions under the CAATSA law. Washington's possible approval would mark a change in U.S.-Turkey relations, which have been strained since Ankara's purchase of Russian systems in 2019.

The first step towards improving relations was Congress's decision last year to sell Turkey 40 F-16 fighters and provide modernisation kits for 79 aircraft from the current Turkish fleet for £19 billion. Negotiations are ongoing between the defence ministry in Ankara and Lockheed Martin, which builds the F-35.

Turkey had planned to purchase over 100 F-35 aircraft and collaborated with Lockheed Martin in producing parts for these fighters. A £2 billion contract with Russia ended this partnership, and the U.S. redirected orders to other buyers.

Washington fears that Turkey possessing F-35s and Russian systems capable of gathering intelligence could lead to the advanced stealth technology used in the fighters falling into Kremlin hands. The idea of removing the S-400 as a condition for returning to the F-35 programme is not new, but Ankara had previously rejected these demands, citing its sovereign right to choose defence partners.

Erdogan explained that the deal with Russia was in response to delays in the purchase of American Patriot systems. Analysts cited by Fox News note that Trump's willingness to compromise may signal a pragmatic approach to improving relations with Turkey, a strategic NATO ally. Turkey believes the change in the U.S. stance is due to progress made in developing the Turkish fifth-generation fighter jet Kaan.