 in 2020 before the US midterm elections in November, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said, adding that Israel opposes such a move, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.){kind=link}
Turkey is working with the United States to lift sanctions imposed under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) in 2020 before the US midterm elections in November, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said, adding that Israel opposes such a move, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.
Speaking during a Ramadan fast-breaking dinner with representatives of the Turkish media on Monday, Fidan said efforts are underway to resolve the sanctions issue and that Ankara has taken the necessary political steps.
“Work is ongoing to achieve a result on CAATSA before the midterm elections. We have taken the political steps. We will see,” Fidan said.
Washington imposed sanctions on Ankara in 2020 over its purchase of the Russian-made S-400 missile defense system, citing concerns that the system could compromise NATO military assets. The move strained ties between the two NATO allies and led to Turkey’s removal from the US-led F-35 joint strike fighter program.
Although Fidan did not elaborate on the reason for the timing, resolving the CAATSA issue before the US midterm elections could be significant. If the Democratic Party were to gain the upper hand in Congress, it could take a less favorable stance toward lifting the sanctions, potentially making congressional approval more difficult.
Last month Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who enjoys a close relationship with US President Donald Trump, said he personally raised the F-35 issue with Trump during their meeting at the White House in September, signaling Ankara’s hope that Trump’s return to office could open a new chapter in relations that have been troubled since Turkey’s purchase of Russia’s S-400 air defense system.
“With Trump’s return to office, an opportunity has emerged to move Turkey-US relations onto a more reasonable and constructive footing,” Erdoğan said.
Bloomberg also reported in December that Turkey has explored returning or otherwise disposing of the S-400 system as part of efforts to repair defense ties with the US. Erdoğan raised the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting in Turkmenistan, a sign that he’s trying to mend Turkey’s defense relationship with the US, which Erdoğan said is a “central pillar” of the bilateral ties.
US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack, a close ally of Trump, said late last year that Ankara was moving closer to relinquishing the S-400s and suggested the issue could be resolved within months, Bloomberg said.
Turkey is also seeking to purchase F-16 Block 70 fighter jets from the US, though pricing remains unresolved.
When asked whether Israel, which has been sharply criticized by Ankara over its actions in Gaza, was opposed to the lifting of US sanctions on Turkey, Fidan said Israel does not want certain countries in the region to acquire specific capabilities.
“That is their current position. We will see. These struggles will continue. Everyone will play the cards they have,” he said.
Fidan’s remarks come at a time when the United States and Israel launched a war on Iran on Saturday, Turkey’s neighbor. Ankara has condemned the US and Israeli offensive against Tehran.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in November that he does not believe the United States will approve any transfer of F-35 fifth-generation fighter jets to Turkey, warning that Israel would respond far more strongly to such a move than to Washington’s agreement to sell the aircraft to Saudi Arabia.