Defense Ministry sources said on Thursday that Türkiye expected action from the U.S. side on counterterrorism and defense cooperation under the administration of President-elect Donald Trump.
Under outgoing President Joe Biden, Türkiye-U.S. ties hit new lows in two fields while flourishing in other areas. Ankara is particularly upset over continuous U.S. support for the YPG, the Syrian wing of the PKK, which is recognized as a terrorist group both by Washington and Ankara.
The PKK/YPG’s occupation in northeastern Syria and the PKK presence in northern Iraq worry Türkiye, which constantly carries out limited cross-border operations to hunt down terrorists. The PKK/YPG has grown stronger in the region, particularly in Deir el-Zour province, home to Syria’s largest oil wells, thanks to material support from the U.S. The issue strains Turkish-U.S. ties as Ankara warns its NATO ally against aiding terror elements that threaten its national security, something Washington continues to do despite promising to remove the group from the Turkish border area. The U.S. justifies its support for the YPG as linked to the fight against Daesh, another terrorist group.
Since Jan. 1, 2023, the terrorist group has carried out 560 attacks falling under Türkiye’s counterterrorism operations in Syria.
Sources said the U.S. has decided to withdraw its troops from Syria in the past but did not do it. “Words have little meaning if they are not put into action,” sources said. Despite Trump’s repeated calls to withdraw troops from Syria, the Pentagon and U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) resisted the plan in Trump’s first tenure. Sources said Türkiye expected “friends and allies” to cut aid to the PKK/YPG and sincerely support Türkiye’s counterterrorism efforts.
On delivery of F-16 fighter jets by the U.S., sources said the two countries had already signed contracts, and the process was “proceeding positively.” “Turkish-U.S. relations are based on common values and interests despite occasional problems. Our countries are two major members of NATO, the world’s leading security organization. We believe Turkish-U.S. relations will continue based on strategic partnership independent of U.S. election results,” sources said.
Türkiye submitted the request to acquire 40 new F-16 aircraft and 79 modernization kits in October 2021 to upgrade the jets in its existing fleet. This January, the Biden administration formally informed Congress of its intention to proceed with the sale, estimated at around $23 billion, shortly after Ankara formally ratified Sweden’s membership in NATO.
Türkiye first sought to purchase Lockheed Martin’s more advanced F-35 fighter jets, but the U.S. removed it from the multinational program to buy and help develop and build the warplane in 2019 after it acquired S-400s from Russia. Washington argued that the air missile defense systems posed a risk to the advanced fighter jet, whereas Ankara insisted they would not be integrated into NATO systems. Türkiye had ordered about 100 F-35s, and its companies were building some 900 parts of the fighter jet.
Türkiye’s request aims to replace the Air Forces Command’s aging F-16 fleet in the inventory, which will be phased out starting in the 2030s.
The country is one of the largest operators of F-16 jets, with its fleet comprising more than 200 older Block 30/40/50 models.
