Ankara: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced on Saturday that US President Donald Trump has shown a clear willingness to address the issues surrounding the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) during a recent meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
According to Anadolu Agency, Fidan disclosed in a live interview with A Haber that Trump, during the September 25 meeting at the White House, expressed that CAATSA should not be a barrier between the US and Trkiye. Trump reportedly directed his administration to work on lifting the sanctions, demonstrating his intent and confidence in Erdogan.
Fidan emphasized that CAATSA is a congressional law, but maintained optimism that solutions could be found as long as goodwill exists in US-Trkiye relations. He mentioned that proposals supported by Erdogan will be revealed to the public when appropriate, underscoring that the key difference now is Washington's readiness to tackle the issue.
Fidan contrasted the current administration's stance with that of former President Joe Biden, noting that Trump has shown a proactive approach by issuing instructions to resolve the matter. Both nations are closely monitoring the process, with hopes of reaching a resolution soon.
He further explained that the main challenge with CAATSA lies in the law's detailed provisions, which the two countries are working through. For a solution aligned with Trkiye's interests, certain actions will also need to be taken by the US Congress.
Trkiye faced CAATSA sanctions in 2020 due to its purchase of Russia's S-400 missile defense system. In 2019, during Trump's first term, the US suspended Trkiye from the F-35 program, citing concerns that the Russian system posed a threat to the fighter jets. Trkiye has consistently argued that the two systems are compatible and has suggested forming a commission to investigate the matter, asserting that resolving the impasse would benefit both Trkiye and NATO.
Recently, the US State Department approved a $23 billion sale of F-16 aircraft and modernization kits to Trkiye, signaling potential progress in resolving the bilateral tensions.