US approves big jet engine sale to Turkey before NATO meeting
# **US Approves $700M Jet Engine Sale to Turkey Amid NATO Tensions**
## **A Strategic Move to Strengthen Ties**
The United States has greenlit a **$700+ million** deal to sell advanced jet engines to Turkey, powering its first domestically built fighter jet, the **Kaan**. The announcement arrives just weeks before Turkey hosts the **NATO summit in Washington**, signaling Washington’s intent to reinforce its alliance with Ankara despite lingering disputes.
### **A Rocky Road to Cooperation**
US-Turkey relations have faced **significant strain** in recent years. Washington **expelled Turkey from the F-35 program** and imposed sanctions after Ankara purchased **Russian S-400 missile defense systems**—a move the US deemed a **security threat**. Turkey insists the systems are purely defensive, but the disagreement has cast a shadow over bilateral relations.
Yet, the US is pressing forward with the engine sale—a decision that has drawn sharp criticism from some American lawmakers, including a leading Democratic figure in Congress. Normally, Congress receives formal notification before major arms deals, but this transaction may proceed quietly and swiftly, with the State Department remaining tight-lipped on the rationale behind the move.
Turkey’s Long-Awaited Breakthrough
For Turkey, the deal represents a hard-won milestone. The country’s foreign minister publicly criticized delays a year ago, urging the US to finalize the sale. With the NATO summit looming, Ankara may finally see its persistence rewarded.
The summit itself arrives at a contentious moment for the alliance. Divisions persist over defense spending obligations and NATO’s role in Middle Eastern conflicts, making this high-stakes meeting even more complex.
As geopolitical tensions rise, the engine deal underscores the delicate balance between cooperation and confrontation in US-Turkey relations.
