US lawmaker says ‘no sanctions’ on Türkiye, urges F-16 upgrades

Selçuk Böke-ANKARA

U.S. Representative Darrell Issa said the Trump administration had decided against sanctions on Türkiye and urged that modernizing the country’s F-16 fleet be given priority.

“From the president down, a decision has already been made: no sanctions against Türkiye,” Issa told daily Hürriyet.

He spoke at a reception marking the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence at the U.S. ambassador’s residence in Ankara on Sept. 9.

Türkiye’s defense procurement agency remains on the U.S. Treasury’s sanctions list under its Russia-related sanctions program.

Asked about efforts to resolve the dispute over Türkiye’s Russian-made S-400 air defense systems, Issa said the issue had been discussed extensively and pointed to talks involving the United Arab Emirates.

“The main issue is how this could be put into practice. As you know, there have been discussions with the UAE. Perhaps this could be the best solution,” he said.

On Türkiye’s possible return to the F-35 program, Issa pointed to a large backlog of orders and said upgrading the existing F-16 fleet should be the immediate priority.

“Modernizing the existing aircraft is a high priority for both Türkiye and the United States,” he said.

During his visit, Issa met Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Sept. 8 and was received by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the presidential complex the following day.