Their deep concern regarding reports of an imminent sale of American-made engines to Turkey Gus Bilirakis, Nicole Malliotaki, Mike Charidopoulos and Jimmy Patronis.
The four Greek-American members of Congress state that they are in constant communication with the U.S. government and the leadership of the House of Representatives, in order to be fully informed about the case and to express their opposition to any attempt to extradite Turkey to the F-35 program, as long as the provisions of the CAATSA law (Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act).
The sale of engines and the “thorn” of the S-400s
This intervention follows the briefing provided by the administration of Donald Trump to Congress regarding its intention to approve the sale of engines with a total value exceeding $700 million, to Turkey.
According to information from Reuters, the engines are intended for the Turkish fighter jet KAAN, a development that has already sparked reactions in Washington, both regarding the sale itself and the review process for major defense exports.
This issue is directly linked to the exclusion of Turkey from the F-35 program, following its purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense system. The U.S. side has repeatedly made it clear that the coexistence of the two systems is unacceptable, while the CAATSA sanctions remain a key point of friction in relations between the two countries.
Criticism of Ankara’s policy in the region
In their joint statement, the four members of parliament argue that Turkey continues to act as a destabilizing factor in the Eastern Mediterranean.
They cite Ankara’s maritime claims, its ongoing illegal occupation of Cyprus, as well as its rhetoric toward Israel.
At the same time, they point out that the Eastern Mediterranean could develop into a region of strong economic and energy cooperation, as well as a pillar of security, noting that they have supported this vision through a series of legislative initiatives.
At the same time, they warn that the choices made by Turkey threaten key allies of the United States and hinder efforts to achieve stability in the region.
Special mention is also made of the relations between Ankara with Hamas, as well as the fact that it remains, as they point out, the only member state of NATO that has not imposed sanctions on Russia. They describe these issues as “deeply concerning”.
