The administration of President Donald Trump plans to move forward with the sale of dozens of aircraft engines to Turkey, valued at hundreds of millions of dollars, despite objections from the US Congress, four sources familiar with the matter reported on Wednesday.
This decision is viewed as a significant gesture toward Ankara ahead of next month’s NATO summit. The engines, produced by General Electric, will be installed on Turkey’s first domestically manufactured combat aircraft, Kaan—a major initiative launched in 2016 as part of Ankara’s efforts to enhance self-sufficiency in its defense capabilities. One source indicated that the total value of the package will exceed 700 million dollars.
Congress objections and history of relations
Representative Gregory Meeks of New York, the leading Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, raised objections during the informal review process and did not approve the package, according to two sources, including a US official. Nevertheless, the sale is expected to be finalized in the coming days, after which the State Department will officially notify Congress, the sources added. The State Department declined to comment.
Turkey and the United States have generally maintained warm relations under Trump, who has frequently praised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. However, their relationship has faced challenges due to a long-standing disagreement over Washington’s decision to exclude Turkey from the F-35 fighter program and to impose sanctions after Ankara acquired Russian S-400 air defense systems, which the United States claims pose a security threat.
The decision to proceed with the sale comes nearly a year after Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan publicly expressed frustration over delays in the process.
Source: The Straits Times