The United States should proceed with extreme caution in any talks about Turkey’s potential re-entry into the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programme, the bipartisan leadership of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues said in a statement. Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Chris Pappas (D-NH), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) and Dina Titus (D-NV) stressed that Ankara was rightly removed in 2019 after purchasing Russia’s S-400 air-defence system, in violation of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).
They argued that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s military cooperation with Russia, despite NATO obligations, “directly undermines the security of US defence technology and poses a threat to the strategic integrity of allied defence cooperation.” Continuing to hold the S-400 while seeking access to F-35 jets, they added, risks exposing sensitive US capabilities to Russian intelligence, eroding allied trust and jeopardising next-generation platforms.
Beyond the CAATSA issue, the lawmakers pointed to what they described as Ankara’s disregard for international norms and democratic principles, from crackdowns on the media and political dissent to aggressive military actions that have drawn international criticism.
“Upholding CAATSA sanctions is not only a matter of legal compliance,” they said, “but a necessary step to protect American defence assets and reaffirm the US commitment to accountability and the rule of law in international relations.” Rewarding the Turkish government without meaningful changes in behaviour, they concluded, would set a dangerous precedent and weaken the credibility of US foreign policy.
CNA sourced reporting
