Erdoğan's move to get US sanctions lifted revealed
Photo: Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (Getty Images)
Türkiye will sell Russian S-400 air defense missile systems to one of the Persian Gulf countries to avoid US sanctions, according to Hürriyet.
Journalists say the deal has already been fully agreed upon, and the final obstacles were resolved last night. An official announcement of the sale is expected in the near future.
The United Arab Emirates and Qatar are cited as the most likely buyers of the Russian systems.
The sale of the S-400 is a condition for lifting US sanctions. To do so, US President Donald Trump must send a special letter to Congress.
Washington has made three demands of Ankara:
- Not to use the S-400
- To relinquish ownership of these Russian air defense systems
- To guarantee that similar military-technical cooperation with Russia will not develop.
What Türkiye stands to gain
In addition to the financial benefit from the systems themselves, Ankara is counting on the restoration of full-fledged defense cooperation with the US.
According to the agency, Türkiye stands to gain a threefold benefit from this deal. In addition to the lifting of sanctions, the country will receive engines for its fifth-generation KAAN fighter jets, as well as the possibility of receiving F-35 aircraft
The United States imposed restrictions on Türkiye after Ankara purchased S-400 air defense systems from Russia in 2019. Because of this purchase, Washington excluded the country from the international program to develop and supply F-35 fighter jets.
Donald Trump recently stated that Washington was considering lifting sanctions against Türkiye. He emphasized that the time had come to do so.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Department of the Treasury has launched a special online portal. Through this portal, individuals can submit requests for removal from sanctions lists or for a review of existing restrictions.
