Türkiye expects concrete steps on F-35 program
Türkiye President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Thursday at Türkiye House in New York that U.S. President Donald Trump had shown positive intent regarding Türkiye’s return to the F-35 fighter aircraft production and development program.
Speaking during the United Nations General Assembly proceedings, Erdoğan said they expected this approach to lead to concrete steps: “We are now waiting for this intent to turn into concrete steps.”
Erdoğan said he had previously discussed the matter with Trump at the NATO summit held in Ankara. He said contacts with the U.S. side were continuing on the issue and expressed his belief that a positive outcome would be achieved.
Assessment of Türkiye-U.S. relations
Erdoğan said cooperation and communication channels with Trump had given significant momentum to relations between Türkiye and the United States, adding that the partnership and cooperation between the two countries had made significant progress compared with the previous U.S. administration.
Erdoğan said he believed relations would not remain at their current level and that the two countries would achieve more ambitious goals.
Emphasis on the domestic defense industry
Erdoğan stressed that Türkiye attached great importance to developing and strengthening its domestic defense industry, adding that the country aimed to produce its own fighter aircraft. He said this goal centered on the Kaan fighter jet, as well as air defense systems and independent defense capabilities.
Work continues on Eurofighter procurement
Referring to his meeting with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, Erdoğan said joint steps and efforts toward Türkiye’s purchase of Eurofighter fighter jets were continuing.
Erdoğan said Türkiye had security and defense needs as well as strategic goals, adding that they would work toward these objectives and would not back down.
