Turkey is prepared to buy as much as $20 billion in US military equipment if Washington lifts sanctions tied to Ankara’s acquisition of Russian S-400 missile systems, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said in an interview with CNN’s Turkish franchise on Wednesday.
The offer comes as US President Donald Trump considers adding a stop in Turkey to his upcoming Middle East tour, which already includes Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, according to multiple CNN reporters citing senior White House officials and sources familiar with the planning.
The proposed arms deal would include spare parts, electronics and ammunition and signals Ankara’s desire to restore defense ties that have been strained since 2020, when the United States imposed sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) and expelled Turkey from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program over its purchase of the Russian air defense system.
Fidan said that either a visit by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Washington or a visit by Trump to Turkey could take place.
While no final decision has been made on Trump’s itinerary, his praise for Erdoğan during recent remarks, delivered in the presence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has drawn attention in both Washington and Ankara.
Analysts say the proposed visit and the arms offer highlight Turkey’s attempt to re-establish closer military and political ties with the United States, following years of tensions over Syria, NATO cooperation and Turkey’s defense partnerships with Russia.