The recent meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, marking the first top-level contact in six years, signifies a new phase in U.S.-Turkey relations. Despite the ceremonial atmosphere, Athens is watching cautiously, as Turkey’s potential reintegration into the F-35 program remains highly complex.
Defense issues were central to the agenda, including the purchase of new F-16s and Turkey’s reintegration into the F-35 program, alongside major arms trade deals with U.S. defense industries, including Boeing aircraft acquisitions. Geopolitical developments in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Kurdish situation in Syria, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and Turkey’s energy cooperation with the U.S. were also discussed.
Erdoğan requested the lifting of sanctions imposed on Turkey due to its acquisition of Russian S-400 systems and emphasized Turkey’s desire to rejoin the F-35 program. Trump left the possibility open but stressed that Turkey must first comply with U.S. demands, particularly regarding reducing its energy dependence on Russia, which currently accounts for 41% of Ankara’s energy needs.
The Greek side is closely monitoring developments, having ensured a non-competition clause in arms agreements with allies to guarantee that new weapons systems are not used against Greece or other allies. In this context, the Greek Prime Minister met with Lockheed Martin’s president in New York, confirming progress in upgrading Greek F-16s and acquiring F-35s.
Additionally, twenty Greek-American lawmakers sent a letter to President Trump ahead of the meeting, urging him not to lift the sanctions, citing U.S. national security concerns and the legislative implications of selling F-16s and F-35s to Turkey.
Finally, the meeting’s agenda included the reopening of the Halki Theological School in Istanbul. Trump noted that the issue was discussed with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, and Erdoğan pledged that Turkey would fulfill its responsibilities regarding the school.
Athens remains vigilant, closely monitoring the U.S.-Turkey defense agenda and its potential impact on geopolitical dynamics in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.
