The time has come to lift the “unjust” sanctions on Turkey’s defense industry, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told his American counterpart, Joe Biden, in a phone call on Thursday.
Erdoğan also told Biden that Turkey expects that its request to purchase 40 new F-16 fighter jets and modernize its existing fleet be finalized as soon as possible, according to a statement from the president's office.
Ankara had initially ordered more than 100 F-35 jets, made by Lockheed Martin Corp., but the United States removed Turkey from the program in 2019 after it acquired Russian S-400 missile defense systems.
Turkey has called the move unjust and demanded reimbursement for its $1.4 billion payment.
Last year, Ankara had reportedly made a request to Washington to buy 40 Lockheed Martin-made F-16s and nearly 80 modernization kits for its existing warplanes.
Turkey’s purchase of the S-400s has also triggered U.S. sanctions. In December 2020, Washington blacklisted the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB), its chief, Ismail Demir, and three other employees.
A readout of Thursday’s call from the White House did not mention a discussion about sanctions or Turkey’s request regarding the F-16s.
But it said Erdoğan and Biden had talked about opportunities to strengthen ties, in addition to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The decades-old partnership between the NATO allies has gone through unprecedented tumult in the past five years over disagreements on many issues, including Syria and Ankara’s closer ties with Moscow.
In 2002, Turkey joined several other NATO allies who agreed to buy the F-35, and five years later reached a deal to participate in its production, an agreement worth potentially billions of dollars to Turkish industry.
Ankara has said the U.S. should either deliver the F-35 jets that Turkey paid for, return the money or give another product instead, stressing it would consider other options if Washington fails to resolve the issue about F-35s, or if the U.S. Congress blocks it.
In broaching the F-16 idea, Erdoğan earlier hinted that Turkey could turn to Russia for fighter jets if talks with the U.S. break down.
Last month, he said talks with the U.S. on the modernization of F-16 fighter jets were going well. He said the crisis between Ukraine and Russia had shown the necessity of the S-400s purchase, given the security risks in the region.
Washington argues that the S-400 air missile systems could be used by Russia to covertly obtain classified details on the F-35 jets and that they are incompatible with NATO systems.
Turkey, however, insists that the S-400 would not be integrated into NATO systems and would not pose a threat to the alliance.
Ankara has said it intends to go through with the purchase of the second batch of S-400s from Russia, despite opposition from the U.S.
The Biden administration is said to be supporting the F-16 deal. Yet, the matter could likely face challenges getting approval from the U.S. Congress, known for its anti-Turkey stance that has repeatedly damaged bilateral relations.
A group of lawmakers in the U.S. Congress wrote a letter to Biden in October objecting to any F-16 sale.
