Four sources from Reuters reported on Wednesday that the United States government is set to finalize a multi-million dollar transaction with Turkey involving the sale of fighter jet engines, despite concerns raised in Congress.
The engines, produced by General Electric, are intended for Turkey’s first domestically produced fighter jets, known as Kaan. This initiative was launched in 2016 as part of Turkey’s efforts to achieve greater self-sufficiency in defense, according to Agerpres.
One of the Reuters sources indicated that the deal is estimated to exceed $700 million.
Relations between Turkey and the US have experienced tension following Washington’s decision to exclude Ankara from the F-35 fighter jet program and impose sanctions due to Turkey’s acquisition of Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems, which the US considers a security risk.
During Donald Trump’s second term, ties improved, with the president often publicly praising Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Two Reuters sources, including an American official, disclosed that Congressman Gregory Meeks from New York, the highest-ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, raised objections during an informal review process but did not approve the sale.
Despite these objections, the transaction is expected to be finalized in the coming days after the State Department officially notified Congress, according to agency sources. The institution led by Marco Rubio declined to comment.
This decision comes nearly a year after Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan publicly lamented a previous blockage regarding defense transactions.
Turkey is set to host NATO leaders at the summit on July 7-8, where discussions will cover the distribution of financial and military efforts among member countries and address US concerns regarding allies’ roles in maintaining traffic through the Strait of Hormuz during the ongoing conflict with Iran.
