US President Donald Trump is considering lifting sanctions against Turkey and resuming sales of F-16 fighter jets after talks with Erdogan, Fox News Digital reported, citing two sources.
Trump has expressed his willingness to help complete the F-16 deal and has not ruled out selling F-35 fighter jets to Ankara if the parties agree to neutralize the Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems that are in service in Turkey.
“This could include partially dismantling the S-400 equipment or moving it to a US-controlled base“, the channel's sources told me.
Washington imposed sanctions on Turkey after it purchased the Russian S-400, which caused concern among the US and its NATO allies. F-35 sales were frozen and Turkey was excluded from the production program for the aircraft. Ankara has repeatedly said that it does not plan to abandon the use of the Russian S-400.