Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz said on Thursday he "extensively" discussed U.S. Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) sanctions and defense industry matters at a meeting with Tom Barrack, Washington's ambassador to Ankara.
"During our meeting, we discussed extensively matters on our agenda, namely developing our economic and commercial ties, the defense industry and CAATSA sanctions," Yılmaz said in a post on X, featuring photos from the meeting.
Meeting at the Presidential Complex, Yılmaz said they "discussed strengthening our bilateral relations further and deepening our cooperation in concrete areas."
He said they had also discussed developments in Syria and Iran, and the second phase of a cease-fire agreement in Gaza.
CAATSA has been a pressing issue in Turkish-U.S. relations in recent years.
Following a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in September, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said he was hopeful that the meeting would help lift sanctions blocking Ankara's purchase of F-35 jets.
Ankara was excluded from the U.S.-led multinational program in 2019 over its purchase of Russian-made S-400 air defense systems. Ever since, it has repeatedly called the move unfair and voiced hope that the sides could overcome the issue during Trump's second term.
Erdoğan earlier this month reiterated that Türkiye's removal from the F-35 fighter jet program was "unjust," stressing that its reentry is key to NATO security.
Trump had shortly before that said the U.S. was "very seriously" considering the sale of F-35 jets to Türkiye.
