Washington D.C. – Former President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep tayyip Erdoฤan โmet in Washington โD.C. on Thursday, yieldingโค potential shifts in U.S.-Turkiye relations regarding military trade, NATO alignment,โ and โSyria policy. Here โare four key takeaways โคfrom the meeting:
1.Reassessing Military trade Restrictions: Trump signaled a potential reversal of restrictions on military aircraft sales to Turkiye. In 2019, the U.S.โข removed Turkiye from the program to purchase F-35 fighter jets due toโ concerns over Ankara’s use of Russianโฃ technology and potential compromise ofโ U.S. military data. Trump stated he was โฃ”talking about” liftingโฃ sanctions โฃon F-35 sales “very seriously” and suggested erdoฤan “will be successful โฃin buying the things that he wants to buy.” The U.S. already approvedโ the sale of F-16 fighter jetsโ to Turkiye inโ January 2024, following Turkiye’s ratification of Sweden’s NATO membership.
2. Potential lifting of โขDefense Industry Sanctions: Trump indicated he could lift sanctions โคagainst Turkiye’s defense industriesโข “very soon,” potentially “almost immediately” following a positive meeting outcome.
3. Trump creditsโ Erdoฤan’s Role in Syria: Trump praised Erdoฤan’s role inโ Syria, claimingโ he was “responsible for Syria, for the โฃsuccessful fight inโข ridding Syria of its past leader,” referring to former President Bashar al-Assad. He โคalso highlighted that his administrationโฃ had begun lifting sanctions against Syria in December, following al-Assad’s removal, attributing this โฃto โคErdoฤan’s efforts and stating heโ “took sanctions off in order toโฃ let them breathe, โas โคthose sanctions were very strong.”
4. Ukraine Conflictโค Discussion & Criticism: Trump criticized the ongoing support for ukraine, stating, “Millions of dollars in bombs, missiles,โฃ ammunition โคand lives – their lives. And they’ve gained virtually no land.” He expressed his belief โthat “it’s time to stop, I really do.”