The call to remove obstacles to the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Türkiye was brought to Congress through a joint letter signed by Turkish-American civil society organizations based in the United States. The letter was hand-delivered to more than 50 members of the U.S. Congress.
The Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA), the Turkish Coalition of America (TCA), the Federation of Turkish American Associations (TADF), the Turkish American National Steering Committee (TASC), the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (MÜSİAD) USA, the Turkish American Chamber of Commerce of the South (TACCS) and the Anatolian Lions Businessmen’s Association (ASKON) USA were among the organizations that signed the joint letter.
Call to Congress members on F-35s
In the letter, the organizations asked members of Congress to support the U.S. sale of F-35 fighter jets to Türkiye. They also called for sanctions and other obstacles to defense cooperation to be removed.
The letter highlighted the importance of the alliance between Türkiye and the United States for regional and global security. It argued that approving the F-35 sale would contribute to NATO’s unity, regional stability and relations between the two countries.
Türkiye’s defense industry and regional role
The letter stated that Türkiye’s growing defense industry supports the U.S. approach of seeking to have Türkiye assume greater responsibility for Europe’s security. It said approval of the sale would help Türkiye continue cooperating with Washington and NATO-aligned suppliers.
The joint letter also assessed that Türkiye has assumed a mediating role in the Russia-Ukraine War and has been working for stability in Syria. It said these factors demonstrate the importance of Türkiye-U.S. defense cooperation for regional security.
