Turkish President Urges US to Lift Sanctions on Defense Equipment Purchases

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on the United States to lift sanctions that are hindering his country’s ability to purchase defense equipment and supplies.

During a meeting with American and Turkish business leaders in New York, Erdogan emphasized the need to remove sanctions and unilateral measures that are impeding the achievement of bilateral trade goals between the two countries.

The Turkish President highlighted the challenge of reaching the goal of increasing trade volume from $30 billion to $100 billion in the long term, citing the obstacles posed by sanctions.

Erdogan specifically mentioned the US Countering Adversaries Act (CAATSA) and urged the US to lift its “unilateral application” of additional tariffs on steel and aluminum.

He also expressed his hope for the permanent lifting of export restrictions for projects such as the F-16 fighter jet modernization.

The US and Turkey have had strained relations in recent years due to their differing positions on the Gaza Strip and Syria, as well as Turkey’s purchase of Russian-made S-400 air defense systems.

However, there are signs of a thaw in relations, with Turkey requesting the purchase of $20 billion worth of F-16 fighter jets and upgrade equipment in October 2021, and the US announcing its intention to proceed with such sales to Turkey in July last year.

Source: Reuters