Trump says US will lift sanctions on Turkey, reopen door to F-35 talks

Trump says US will lift sanctions on Turkey, reopen door to F-35 talks reports that President Donald Trump signaled a policy shift toward Turkey involving both sanctions relief and renewed F-35 discussions. Trump told reporters at a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara that the U.S. will lift sanctions imposed after Turkey acquired a Russian missile defense system, an action that led to Turkey’s removal from the F-35 program. While legal hurdles remain before full re-admission, removing the sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act is described as easing Turkey’s path to regaining access to F-35s. Trump also said U.S. officials are working on the matter and that selling F-35s to Turkey is something Washington will consider. The article situates the announcement within NATO’s summit context, where Erdoğan and Trump underscored warm ties as Trump arrived for meetings. Separately, NATO unveiled defense projects worth billions, including a deal for up to 10 Saab GlobalEye surveillance aircraft for a 10-nation consortium.