A US congressional official announced that encouraging signals were received from talks regarding Turkey's return to the F-35 fighter jet program. Republican Representative Mike Turner, in a statement to CBS News, said that meetings with Turkish officials during the NATO Summit in Ankara carried a positive tone.
Turner said that US Congress members and Turkish officials came together during the summit. "I cannot disclose what Turkish officials told us, but what we heard was promising," Turner said, adding that everyone who attended the meeting agreed they were encouraged by what they heard.
The US representative pointed out that Turkey is one of the manufacturers of F-35 parts, stressing that Ankara's reintegration into the program is an extremely important issue. "Turkey is a very strong NATO member. It also hosted a very successful summit. I hope it continues on this path and reaps the benefits," Turner said.
Six years ago, the US Congress passed a law providing for Ankara's removal from the F-35 program, citing the risk of sensitive data leaking to Russia after Turkey purchased the Russian-made S-400 air defense system.