Trump Calls for Repeal of CAATSA to Resolve Turkey-U.S. Tensions

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced that U.S. President Donald Trump has communicated to Turkey the necessity of repealing the CAATSA legislation during discussions about bilateral relations.

In an interview with Turkish broadcaster A HABER, Fidan explained that Trump views the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) as inappropriate for U.S.-Turkey relations and believes it should be revoked. He added that the President has instructed his administration to take the necessary actions regarding this matter.

Fidan noted that the current U.S. administration shows a clear interest in resolving this issue, contrasting it with the previous administration under President Joe Biden. He stated, "God willing, we will resolve this as quickly as possible."

It is important to note that CAATSA has significantly impacted relations between Washington and Ankara, especially after the U.S. imposed sanctions on Turkey in 2019 due to its purchase of the Russian S-400 defense system. Washington urged Turkey to abandon these systems in favor of American Patriot systems, a request Ankara rejected, leading to its exclusion from the F-35 fighter jet program and sanctions against key figures in Turkey's defense sector.

Turkey has characterized U.S. actions as unjust and a violation of its sovereignty rights, reiterating its refusal to relinquish the S-400 system despite pressure to transition to NATO defense systems.