Overview
- President Trump told reporters at the NATO summit that he will lift the 2020 CAATSA sanctions and would consider restoring Turkey to the F-35 programme after talks with President Erdoğan on July 7-8.
- US legal and technical barriers remain: Congress and US law bar F-35 transfers to states operating Russia’s S-400 air‑defence system and officials warn the S-400 radar could expose F-35 stealth data.
- Turkish media report that Ankara has sold its S-400 batteries to a Gulf state, a claim that is unconfirmed and would need verifiable proof and likely Russian consent to alter the sanctions calculation.
- Israel and Greece have publicly warned that Turkish F-35s would upset regional military balances, with Israeli leaders saying the sale would threaten their air superiority and Greek officials seeking guarantees the jets not be used against NATO partners.
- Next steps include a formal White House notification to Congress that would trigger review, separate talks on jet engines for Turkey’s KAAN fighter, and a political fight in Washington that will determine whether Trump’s proposal can become policy.