Erdogan, Trump share 'strong will' to lift CAATSA sanctions: Fidan

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Thursday that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US President Donald Trump share a "strong will" to lift sanctions imposed on Türkiye under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), noting that both leaders instructed their Cabinets to resolve the issue following a White House meeting last September. Speaking to CNN Turk, Fidan stated that he and the defense minister are working intensively to eliminate the measures, which he described as the only remaining permanent institutional obstacle in Turkish-US relations. "There is a strong will from both our president and President Trump" to lift the sanctions, he said, adding that most restrictions imposed by NATO allies over the past three to four years have already been removed through diplomatic engagement, with Canada being one of the latest examples.

Fidan said ongoing efforts with Washington are progressing through necessary administrative steps, though he cautioned that congressional authorization does not always move simultaneously with executive decisions. "There are certain steps that need to be taken. Work in this direction is underway, and as this is done, the public will see the results," he said, noting that there is no shortage of political will within either administration. "There is no problem in terms of political will within the administrations. The question is how the process in the US Congress will proceed," he added, referring to the legislative requirements for permanently lifting the sanctions.

NATO summit and defense cooperation

Fidan welcomed confirmation that Trump will attend next week's NATO summit in Ankara, calling the US president's presence "important and positive news for the NATO community" and noting that Trump accepted specifically because Erdogan extended the invitation. "If President Erdogan had not been the one inviting him, he would not have attended. This has now become a very significant strategic equation," he said, adding that Erdogan's international standing and the trust he has established have become extraordinarily important amid shifting global alliances and the Trump administration's reassessment of its strategic posture toward China. Last week, Trump hinted he might bring a "big gift bag" regarding Türkiye's requests for F-35 fighter jets and jet engines for its KAAN aircraft when he visits for the summit.

Fidan declined to speculate on specific announcements but emphasized that Ankara has pursued a comprehensive effort to remove restrictions affecting bilateral defense cooperation, citing the recent conclusion of the Halkbank case without administrative or judicial sanctions as evidence of progress. "There is no perspective within the Trump administration that can explain why countries that are not NATO members and do not share as many common interests with the US can purchase enormous amounts of weapons and ammunition for commercial reasons, while Türkiye cannot," he said, distinguishing between lifting the sales ban — an administrative decision that could follow CAATSA relief — and restoring Türkiye's status as an F-35 production partner, which would require a new multinational consortium vote. He noted that Ankara maintains there is no technical conflict between the Russian S-400 system and the F-35 jets, and that receiving aircraft already paid for would strengthen NATO.

Regional alignment and Syria policy

Fidan said the Trump administration's decision to abandon the previous US Syria policy of supporting the YPG terrorist group — initiated under the Obama administration — has eliminated one of the largest sources of friction between the allies. He added that Ankara's strategic objectives largely align with Washington's policies on ending the war in Ukraine and stabilizing Syria and Iraq, noting that cooperation on the Gaza peace plan has also advanced to a certain extent, creating a broader foundation for bilateral relations beyond transactional defense issues.

The foreign minister also revealed that Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Pakistan are working through a new four-country mechanism that has already convened four times to coordinate responses to common challenges and strengthen regional stability. He said the platform could evolve into a more strategic framework as regional dynamics continue to shift, reflecting Ankara's broader diplomatic initiatives beyond its traditional Western alliances.