US President Donald Trump signaled a possible reset in relations with Turkiye on Tuesday, saying he plans to lift sanctions and will soon decide whether to allow Ankara back into the F-35 fighter jet program, according to Reuters. His remarks came as he met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Ankara.
“We’re going to be taking the sanctions off,” Trump told reporters, referring to penalties imposed in 2020 after Turkiye purchased Russia’s S-400 missile defense system. The move had led Washington to remove Turkiye from the F-35 program, a decision Ankara has long criticized as unfair.
While Trump appeared open to a renewed defense partnership, legal and political hurdles remain, including approval from the US Congress. He said a final decision on the F-35 sale would come later, as talks with Erdogan continue.
At the same time, NATO leaders used the gathering in Turkiye to unveil defense deals worth tens of billions of dollars, underscoring growing pressure on allies to boost military spending. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called for a “revolution” in defense production, warning that threats from Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran demand urgent action.
“We don’t have the luxury of time,” Rutte said, urging faster production and stronger coordination across allied industries.
Several major agreements were announced, including European purchases of US-made surveillance drones and NATO orders for aircraft from Sweden’s Saab. In a significant step, US defense giant Lockheed Martin and Germany’s Rheinmetall agreed to jointly produce ATACMS missiles in Germany, marking the first time the system could be built outside the United States.
Despite these moves, Europe continues to face challenges such as fragmented defense industries and political resistance to higher military spending. Still, NATO officials say progress is visible, with European members and Canada increasing defense spending sharply in recent years.
The summit comes at a tense moment for the alliance. Divisions have widened since the US military action against Iran earlier this year, and Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO partners for relying too heavily on American support. His administration is also reviewing US troop levels in Europe.
As leaders gather, they are expected to reaffirm support for Ukraine, with new aid pledges on the table. Yet uncertainty hangs over the alliance, as shifting US policies and global conflicts test NATO’s unity and direction.
