The United States has decided to ease some of the tough sanctions it had placed on Turkey’s defense sector. This move marks a huge change in how the two countries are dealing with each other, after years of tension and disagreement.
The tensions started back in 2019 when Turkey bought a powerful missile defense system called the S-400 from Russia. The US didn’t like this at all. It believed that bringing Russian technology into NATO systems could pose serious risks. As a result, the US punished them by kicking it out of the F-35 fighter jet program and placing tough sanctions on Turkey’s defense department under a law known as CAATSA.
These sanctions made it very hard for Turkey to buy or sell military equipment with American companies. It also created a lot of problems for Turkey’s role within NATO, the military alliance that both countries are part of.
But now, things are changing. The US is starting to lift some of these restrictions. Turkey’s leader recently said that the CAATSA penalties are being “eased,” and a new arms sale from the US to Turkey has been approved. This new deal is worth over $300 million and includes missiles, although the exact details haven’t been made public yet.
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Behind the Change: A Warmer Relationship
This shift comes just after a big political summit in Albania, where Turkey’s leader met with many European leaders. After returning from the summit, he spoke with reporters and said that the relationship with the US is improving fast.
He pointed to his friendly talks with the new American ambassador and even more importantly, with the current US president, who has recently returned to office. Their conversations covered many topics, including the war in Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, and defense matters.
According to the Turkish leader, this friendlier atmosphere is because of better communication between the two sides. He highlighted how easy and open the discussions have become. This is very different from the colder tone of recent years when previous American leaders were more critical of Turkey’s choices.
During his flight, the Turkish president also mentioned that he had asked for more steps to be taken. He requested that all sanctions be removed and that Turkey be allowed to buy more F-16 fighter jets and upgrade its current fleet. This deal, worth $23 billion, has been delayed for a long time due to political arguments in the US Congress.
The two leaders also discussed the S-400 missile system that started all the problems. While no final decision has been made, there is talk of finding a solution that might involve moving the system to a secure location controlled by the US.
Turkey’s Role Is Getting Bigger
Another big reason for this warming relationship is Turkey’s growing role in world events. The country sits in a very important spot, linking Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. This gives it a unique position in many global issues.
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Just a few days ago, Turkey hosted peace talks between Russia and Ukraine—the first direct talks in three years. These talks led to a prisoner swap between the two countries, which was seen as a small but important step forward.
Turkey has also helped in shipping grain from the Black Sea to the rest of the world and in handling the large number of refugees moving toward Europe. Its military is active in places like Syria and Libya, and it plays a big part in helping NATO watch over the Black Sea region.
Because of all this, many Western countries now see that they need Turkey on their side, even if they don’t always agree with its decisions.
Still, not everyone in the US is happy about working more closely with Turkey again. Some lawmakers are worried about Turkey’s actions at home and abroad. They fear that making deals now could send the wrong message.
Even with these concerns, the recent steps taken—easing sanctions and approving a new missile sale—show that the US and Turkey are trying to move past their disagreements. Whether they succeed or not is still unknown, but the two countries are clearly talking again.
