**US to Proceed with Jet Engine Sales to Turkey Ahead of NATO Summit**
In a significant move ahead of the upcoming NATO summit in Turkey, President Donald Trump is set to advance the sale of dozens of jet engines to Turkey, a deal valued at potentially over $700 million. This decision comes despite some opposition from members of the US Congress, as reported by sources familiar with the matter.
The engines, manufactured by General Electric, are intended for Turkey's first indigenous combat aircraft, known as the KAAN. This project, which was initiated in 2016, is part of Turkey's broader strategy to decrease its dependency on foreign military suppliers and bolster its domestic defense capabilities.
The impending sale is viewed as a strategic signal to Ankara, particularly in light of the NATO summit scheduled for July 7-8, where leaders will gather to discuss various alliance issues, including defense spending and regional security challenges stemming from recent conflicts in the Middle East.
While the relationship between Turkey and the United States has generally been positive during Trump's presidency, marked by the President's favorable remarks about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, underlying tensions persist. Notably, these tensions arose after the US removed Turkey from the F-35 fighter jet program and imposed sanctions following Turkey's acquisition of the Russian S-400 air defense systems, which the US argues pose a security threat.
Analysts suggest that while the engine sale is a welcome development for Turkey, it does not fully address Turkey's ambitions to rejoin the F-35 program. Gonul Tol, an expert at the Middle East Institute, remarked that while acquiring the engines is crucial for Turkey, it represents the "lowest-hanging fruit" for the US administration, which has made more ambitious commitments in the past. The key issue remains whether Turkey can be readmitted to the F-35 program, especially given that US law prohibits Turkey from operating the S-400 system if it seeks to participate in the F-35 project.
Despite the objections raised by some members of Congress, including Representative Gregory Meeks, a senior Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the Trump administration appears poised to move forward with the sale. Congressional objections, while noted, are not binding, allowing the administration to proceed with the transaction.
The State Department has refrained from commenting on the specifics of pending arms transfers, stating that communications with Congress regarding such matters are conducted through established channels.
Turkey has been actively pursuing approval for the jet engine deal for several months, with officials expressing frustration over the delays in the process. The KAAN program, in its initial stages, currently relies on foreign engines, with the expectation that domestically developed alternatives will be available in later phases of production.
As the NATO summit approaches, the dynamics of US-Turkey relations will be closely watched, particularly in the context of broader alliance discussions on defense and security. The outcome of the jet engine sale and its implications for Turkey's defense strategy and international partnerships will likely be significant topics of conversation among NATO leaders.