Trump could lift ban on fighter jet sales to Turkey after talks with Erdogan

President Donald Trump has held talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the White House and signalled that the United States might soon lift its hold on sales of advanced fighter jets to Ankara.

During Mr Trump’s first term, the US removed Turkey, a Nato ally, from its flagship F-35 fighter jet programme after Turkey purchased an air defence system from Russia.

US officials worried that Turkey’s use of Russia’s S-400 surface-to-air missile system could be used to gather data on the capabilities of the F-35 and that the information could end up in Russian hands.

Mr Trump started his two-hour meeting with Mr Erdogan by offering hope that a resolution to the matter could be found during the leaders’ talks.

“He needs certain things, and we need certain things, and we’re going to come to a conclusion. You’ll know by the end of the day,” Mr Trump said. The President added to Mr Erdogan, “and I think you’ll be successful with buying the things” you would “like to buy”.

In a brief exchange with reporters as he bid farewell to Mr Erdogan, Mr Trump called it a “good meeting” but did not offer further details.

It was Mr Erdogan’s first trip to the White House since 2019. They forged what Mr Trump has described as a “very good relationship” during his first White House term.

Over the years, US officials have cited concerns about Turkey’s human rights record under Mr Erdogan and the country’s ties with Russia.

Tensions between Turkey and Israel, another important American ally, over Gaza and Syria have made relations difficult with Turkey at times.

Mr Trump, in remarks before reporters, focused his concerns on Turkey’s continued economic relationship with Russia.

Turkey has been one of the biggest buyers of Russian fossil fuels since the European Union announced in early 2023 it would boycott most Russian seaborne oil.

Since January 2023, Ankara has purchased more than 90 billion dollars in Russian oil, coal and natural gas. Only China and India have bought more from Russia in that period.

“The best thing he could do is not buy oil and gas from Russia,” Mr Trump said of Mr Erdogan.

Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey and Mr Trump’s envoy to Syria, said the presidents discussed all the major issues in the US-Turkey relationship, including Russia and the F-35 programme, “with paths forward”.

Asked if Turkey is amenable to cutting off its substantial oil purchases from Russia, Mr Barrack replied: “You have to ask them.”

Turkey’s energy minister Alparslan Bayraktar and Mr Trump’s secretary of state Marco Rubio signed a memorandum of understanding on “Strategic Civil Nuclear Cooperation” during Mr Erdogan’s visit, the minister announced on X.

Mr Bayraktar did not provide details but said the two countries had launched a “new process” that would strengthen ties in nuclear energy.

Mr Trump added that Mr Erdogan is respected by both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“I think he could have a big influence if he wants to,” Mr Trump said.