U.S.-Turkey Defense Sanctions May Be Resolved by Year-End, Says Ambassador

The U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, Thomas Barrack, expressed optimism that long-standing defense-related sanctions on Turkey could be resolved by the end of 2025. Speaking to Turkey’s state-owned Anadolu Agency, Barrack said he expects Presidents Donald Trump and Recep Tayyip Erdogan to direct their officials to find a solution.

The sanctions, imposed in 2020 under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), were a response to Turkey’s purchase of Russian-made S-400 missile defense systems. As a result, the U.S. removed Turkey from the F-35 fighter jet program, despite the country’s role as both a buyer and manufacturer.

"In my view, President Trump and President Erdogan will tell Secretary Marco Rubio and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to fix this, find a way, and a resolution is possible by year-end," said Barrack, who also serves as Washington’s special envoy to Syria.

Barrack emphasized the improved U.S.-Turkey relationship since Trump’s return to the White House and noted that both leaders share mutual trust. He added that Ankara continues to view its removal from the F-35 program as unfair and has consistently called for either reinstatement or reimbursement.

The potential resolution of CAATSA sanctions would mark a major turning point in U.S.-Turkey defense ties and could reopen discussions on Turkey's role in NATO’s joint defense projects. The S-400 acquisition has long been a sticking point in U.S.-Turkey relations, and a political breakthrough would signal renewed strategic cooperation between the allies.