US President Donald Trump is expected to tell Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that he is prepared to allow Turkey to rejoin the F-35 stealth fighter program, according to a report by the New York Times.
Background
Turkey’s 2019 acquisition of the Russian S-400 air defense system has soured ties with the United States and hampered congressional support for Ankara. In response, Washington imposed sanctions and removed Turkey from the F-35 fighter jet program.
Congress also passed a law prohibiting any sales of F-35s to Turkey as long as Ankara remained in possession of the S-400s, saying the Russian system poses a security risk to US-made combat aircraft.
Developments
The reported development is a sign of improving ties between the two countries, especially after Trump’s administration formally notified Congress of its intention to sell dozens of jet engines worth more than $700 million to Turkey last month.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
