Erdoğan Seeks NATO Go-Between Role as Turkey Still Lacks 100 F-35 Jets
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Jul 7
Erdoğan Seeks NATO Go-Between Role as Turkey Still Lacks 100 F-35 Jets
3 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Jul 7
Summary
At the NATO summit, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is emerging as a key channel to Donald Trump, with European officials hoping his rapport can help avert a disruptive showdown.
Trump allies describe the relationship as pragmatic leverage over a difficult leader, and a senior White House official said Trump had always planned to attend and viewed Erdoğan ties as potentially useful.
Erdoğan has widened that role beyond NATO by inviting Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to Ankara and calling for an “unconditional” security network stretching from Texas to Ankara.
One major Turkish goal remains unresolved: Ankara still cannot take delivery of the roughly 100 F-35s it ordered nearly 20 years ago because its purchase of Russia’s S-400 system blocks the deal.