Turkish President Erdogan says he expects 'favorable decision' on F-35 fighter jets from NATO summit

'The F-35 issue is not a new one for us. We have discussed it with the US before, and we received a commitment regarding the 5 aircraft,' says Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday that he believes the NATO summit taking place in the capital Ankara could produce a "favorable decision" on Türkiye's long-running bid to acquire F-35 fighter jets from the US. At a meeting with US President Donald Trump on the summit sidelines, Erdogan said the jets issue was not "a new subject" in bilateral ties and had been discussed extensively with Washington. "The F-35 issue is not a new one for us. We have discussed it with the US before, and we received a commitment regarding the five aircraft," he said. "God willing, I believe a favorable decision on the F-35 issue will emerge from this Leaders Summit," he added. Erdogan also expressed confidence that earlier commitments made by the US would be honored, praising Trump's approach on the issue. "I know that we are positively testing the commitment we previously received from them regarding the F-35s for the future. President Trump always stands by his word," he said.