A Turkish Foreign Ministry source has stated that Türkiye and the United States have expressed a willingness to remove obstacles to defence industry cooperation following discussions between the two NATO allies’ top diplomats.
Both sides "clearly put forth their political will to lift obstacles to cooperation in the defence industry field" during Tuesday’s meeting between Hakan Fidan and Marco Rubio in Washington, the source said.
The top diplomats also followed up on matters discussed between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his US counterpart Donald Trump in a phone call on March 16.
The two diplomats also discussed future high-level visits between the nations.
"Technical talks will be held for the resolution of existing problems," the source added.
Erdogan, in phone call with Trump, reiterates support for decisive initiative to end war in Ukraine.
The F-35 issue
On Tuesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan kicked off a two-day visit to Washington, marking his first visit under President Donald Trump's administration.
He was expected to demand the removal of sanctions on Türkiye and the country’s readmission into the F-35 fighter jet program.
During his first term, Trump initially ignored advice from his aides to impose sanctions on Türkiye under its Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) over Ankara's acquisition of Russian S-400 air defence missile systems in 2019. He then took the step in 2020.
That acquisition also led to Türkiye’s removal from the F-35 jet program, where it was a manufacturer and buyer. Ankara says its removal is unjust and illegal, and has demanded to rejoin or be reimbursed for its investment in the program.
Fidan discussed the urgent need for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza during the talks with Rubio, with both sides expressing the political will to remove obstacles to defence cooperation.
Seeking warmer ties
Ties between the US and Türkiye have drifted away from a strategic partnership in recent years as disagreements between the two long-standing treaty allies have widened.
The administration of former President Joe Biden kept Türkiye at arm's length over what it saw as the fellow NATO member's close ties with Russia.
Conversations between the allies on resolving the S-400 deadlock were ongoing under Biden, but a breakthrough never came.
Fidan’s visit comes as Ankara seeks warmer ties with Washington under the second Trump administration.
Since coming back into office on January 20, Trump upended Biden's policy to isolate Moscow and provide unwavering support to Kiev and instead focused on ending Russia's war in Ukraine.
The Turkish official said discussions between Washington and Ankara had "taken a new dimension" after Trump's shift in approach to Moscow.
Trump’s shift in tone has also spooked European leaders, who fear Washington could be turning its back on Europe, and bolstered Ankara's role as a potential partner in reshaping European security.
US President Donald Trump's unconventional foreign policy has driven nations to rethink alliances and adapt to new dynamics, with Türkiye emerging as a "reliable and strong partner".
