Trump vows to lift CAATSA sanctions on Türkiye

US President Donald Trump vowed on Tuesday to remove the sanctions known as CAATSA imposed on Türkiye several years ago, signaling a major shift in bilateral ties during a high-level meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

“We’re going to be taking the sanctions off ... We don’t want to sanction friends,” Trump told reporters during a one-on-one meeting with Erdogan on the sidelines of this week’s NATO summit in the Turkish capital Ankara.

The US president said he is coordinating with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to finalize the decision.

While Trump signaled a definitive move, under US law, a president cannot permanently terminate CAATSA sanctions entirely without specific congressional procedures. The US imposed Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) on Türkiye in 2020.

On the F-35 fighter jet program, Trump said he would "certainly consider" restoring sales to Ankara, characterizing Türkiye as being “much more loyal than other countries.”

Trump described the F-35 fighter jet as “the best plane by far” and suggested Washington has an “obligation” to maintain equipment sold to partners. “It’s a decision we’re going to make.”

He also dismissed concerns about Türkiye's purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defense system, long cited as a hurdle to Türkiye buying F-35s, asserting that the Turkish-US relationship is "better, probably than it's ever been."

Military strength and ‘good chemistry’

Trump told Erdogan that the Turkish president has "been a great leader and a respected leader all over the world." Under Erdogan’s leadership, Türkiye has become a “very powerful country militarily” and a force “to be reckoned with,” he added.

He said the two leaders have maintained “good chemistry” since his first term in office. Trump added that he has "a lot of respect" for Erdogan and said he believes that is “to the benefit of both countries."

Regional mediation, Syria

Trump also claimed that both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy want to make a deal to end their countries’ war, which began in 2022.

Trump lamented the high casualty rate, noting that 35,000 soldiers died just last month. “I just don't want him killing people,” he said, characterizing the battlefield as a high-tech “drone war” defined by extreme violence.

“It's carnage, and it should stop,” the US president emphasized, while noting the conflict affects Europe more directly than the US because “we have an ocean in between.”

Trump expressed optimism that a settlement is possible "soon," highlighting that Erdogan is currently assisting with mediation efforts between Moscow and Kyiv

Furthermore, Trump praised the "amazing job" done by Syria’s new leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, in stabilizing his country over the last 18 months. "He’s pulled the whole country together," said the US president, who is expected to meet with Sharaa on Wednesday.

Friction within NATO

Trump expressed significant disappointment with other NATO members, specifically naming France, Germany, and Italy, for refusing to assist during the Iran war. “I was testing to see whether or not they’d be there,” Trump said.

He said he might have not attended the summit had it not been hosted by Türkiye where "my friend" Erdogan is a "very strong leader."

Immigration, energy existential risks for Europe

Trump issued a stark warning regarding the American military presence on the continent, stating that Washington could potentially “remove all of our soldiers out of Europe.”

“Europe’s a very different place than it was 20 years ago,” the US president said, adding that the region faces existential risks related to immigration and energy. “If they're not careful with those two things, you're not going to have a Europe anymore,” he warned.

The US president also reiterated his interest in acquiring Greenland, asserting the territory “should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark.”